Changed, Book 2: The Vampire Comes Out at Night
by Koriat Cyredanthem
Summary: What happens when Raph is changed? Who does he choose as "Kalian"? Why does he hate the word "freak"? See bio for pairings. Name change: Sam to Beth. Half Raph-centric, half Leo-centric. DEDICATED TO LEO ONEAL. SERIES DISCONTINUED
1. A Bite

The next morning, Raph woke up in a sour mood, as per usual

The next morning, Raph woke up in a sour mood, as per usual. Leonardo greeted him cheerfully. Somehow, Leo and Mikey were just morning people, more cheerful in the early hours than in the later ones, when Raph and Don seemed to really rise.

"Morning, Raphie!" Mikey sang. "We're goin' on patrol tonight. We're goin' on patrol tonight. We're goin' on patrol tonight!"

Raph grouched and crossed to the coffee maker, only to find that Leo had already warmed it up and filled the pot with hot, black coffee, just the way he liked it. Raph supposed it was an apology for scaring him so badly underwater yesterday.

Don stumbled in, accepted a mug from Raph, and sat down wearily at the table. Leo and Mikey joined him, and Raph leaned against the counter.

"So… I hear we're patrolling tonight," Raph grumbled, glaring at Mike and daring him to start singing about it again. However, the orange-banded turtle was silent, at least on that part.

"Yep! Kavara said we should continue patrolling the city, since the Foot haven't disappeared in the month we've been gone," he explained happily. He rarely called Leo "Leo" anymore, usually preferring "Kavara". And it went the other way, too; Leo called Mikey "Kalian" mostly.

"Hm. Great. I need some thugs to beat up," Raph growled.

"Good," Don agreed. "We should scavenge a bit. I need some stuff for an experiment. Leo, would you mind coming with me a second?"

Leo nodded and the two turtles trooped to Donnie's room, bowing to and greeting their Sensei as he came from his room.

Raph looked at Mike, who was looking around.

"It's good to be home," the youngest turtle said softly. "I've missed Klunk." The cat appeared just then, walking up to Mikey and purring as he rubbed his back on his master's shin.

"Tell me about it," Raph grinned. "And O Winged One has become accustomed to his new body, we've destroyed Stockman, and not to mention, got back our brother."

"Yeah." Mikey looked down at his tea, then drained the whole glass. He and Leo drank tea, another similarity between the youngest and oldest turtles.

"Is there something wrong, my sons?" Master Splinter asked, coming in quietly. His fur was ruffled, which said that he had just gotten out of bed. Mikey handed him a prepared cup of his favorite tea with a sugar cube in it.

"Nothing, Sensei. We're glad to be home," Raph said. Their Sensei nodded and walked slowly back to his room, his knees apparently giving him trouble again. It was always like this in the winter, but it was getting worse and stayed with their Master longer.

All day, Leo and Don were locked in Don's room. Raph practiced beating the stuffing out of his favorite punching bag and Mikey caught up on a month of lost TV time with Klunk sitting in his lap.

"Hey, are you guys ready for a training run?" Leo asked, coming in with Don on his heels. Raph inspected Leo but found nothing out of the ordinary.

"Sure," Raph shrugged. He was going to go out anyway, so being with his brothers while running around topside would just add a little fun, especially if they played "Catch the Ka". To play, one only needed a Mikey and a Leonardo. Set those two off running or flying, and you were sure to have an ultimate game of ninja tag! Since "Ka" meant "dragon" in Elvish, it made sense to send out the dragonet and "mother" to be 'hunted".

The best part was, Leo's wings were often a disadvantage, since he couldn't fly much and risk being seen. So they just slowed him down, really. However, he was still very good at hiding and surprising his "hunters" with hit-and-fly's that made them see stars for a moment.

"Let's go!" Mikey whined, bouncing into hyper mode. Leo stood at the door.

"Race ya there!" he cried, and took off running. Mikey squealed and followed, Don shouting that Leo had a head start. Raph chuckled and set his coffee mug down, sprinting after his brothers and closing the door behind him loudly.

Mikey, Raph, and Donnie came upon a hilarious scene at the same time as they rounded a bend in the tunnel, hot in pursuit of their bigger bro. Half of Leo stuck out of a manhole, the other half was street-side. His wings looked pinched, but he was kicking his legs and trying to get out.

"Leo!" Mikey finally shouted. The legs stopped moving.

"What?" a muffled voice yelled at them.

"You're stuck!" Donnie exclaimed.

"No duh. Now help me out!"

"Does this mean that he wins?" Mikey asked getting under Leo's dangling right foot. He placed his hands on it as Raph positioned himself at Leo's left foot. Together, they heaved with all their strength. Don sprinted off to find another manhole cover, get topside, and then run to Leo and help pull him through.

"Ooof!" Leo gasped as he was propelled upwards. He tried to squirm and get farther out of the hole, but his hips stuck. "I have to lose some weight," he grunted. "Or lose a foot or two of height!"

"Couldn't agree more," Donnie panted, coming up from the street. He grabbed Leo's hands and started pulling. Finally, with a pained gasp, Leo was shoved free. Raph and Mike leapt up through the hole easily and replaced the manhole cover. Don was bandaging the scrapes on Leo's wings and Leo was chuckling.

"Now, how will I get up here without getting stuck again?" Leo wondered aloud.

"I've got that covered. That's why I needed your measurements this morning, Leo," Don explained. "You know our elevator up to the garage? I'm configuring it with some Utrom technology so that it will transport you to wherever we are when we get street-side. I got Leatherhead's help with it, too, so it's perfectly safe. Just in case, though, we can send a few test things through to make sure nothing is wrong with my calculations."

"Wow," Leo whistled appreciatively. "Thanks."

"No problem. I've always thought it would be better to have something like that, in case one of us is injured. To get down, though, you have to go to the garage and go down the normal way."

"That's fine," Leo assured Donnie. They stood up, Leo closing his wings slowly. "So, up for some training?"

"You bet your metal shell," Raph said. "Come on!" He leapt onto a fire escape silently and stealthily climbed to the roof. Leo met him up there, his wings having brought him up before Raph.

"No fair!" Mikey whined, head appearing. It was dusk, so they were standing upright, not crouched like they would in lighter situations. Don jumped onto the roof at the same time as Mike.

"So, what're we going to do?" Don asked.

"Hmm… I don't actually know," Leo mused. "Raph, how about we do some leadership training for you. You're in charge." Leo bowed and fanned his wings, giving the responsibility of choosing a regime to the hothead, his second-in-command.

"I like that idea! Alright, we're going to play "Catch the Ka". Mikey, Leo, you know what to do. You have a thirty second head start." Raph looked at his shell cell as Mikey squeaked in fear and Leo grinned. "Twenty nine… Twenty eight…"

That was all Mikey needed to hear; he was off like a bullet, racing to get away from Don and Raph, the appointed Hunters. Leo spread his wings and leaped off the building, using his fall to power a glide that would sustain him for hours.

Twenty five seconds later, both Ka were out of sight and Raph tucked his shell cell into his belt. Then, he signaled to Don. Time to begin the hunt.

Mikey was found easily, since he was breathing heavily from running too fast at first. By the rules, he now had to help them find the other Ka, Leo.

However, no matter how much they looked, they could not find the winged turtle. An hour later, Don and Mikey were ready to give up and call him on the shell cells. Raph, however, told them to wait where they were and sprinted off into the full darkness.

He ran silently, slowly, looking for signs of Leo's passing. A scale here – he was shedding, which made him easy to track. An indent where he had landed there…

Soon, Raph was also ready to give up another hour later. Don and Mikey were probably worried. Perhaps Leo was with them.

Just as he was about to turn around, though, a shattering scream filled the air. Quickly, Raph found the source of the cry; a woman was being backed into a corner by a man wearing all black jeans and a black top.

Raph rolled his eyes. _What was with black these days?_ he wondered as he jumped down silently. The man was grabbing the lady's purse when Raph's Sai poked him in the back.

"Back down," Raph growled, keeping to the shadows. "Lady, get outta here." The thief dropped the purse and the woman snatched it up, leaping for freedom.

The thief suddenly twisted away and pounced on Raph. The movement was so graceful and quick that all Raph could do was stiffen in surprise. He felt teeth sink into his neck, but then they lifted and the man disappeared.

Raph reached up and touched his neck. Blood flowed over his fingers sluggishly. _That punk bit me! _However, he couldn't do anything but accept it, for the human was long gone. Tucking his Sai away, Raph cleaned the wound with some water from a spigot and turned towards home, taking out his shell cell as he did so.

Donnie was not going to be impressed.


	2. Cool

Raph was right; both Don and Leo shouted at him for being bitten by a human

Raph was right; both Don and Leo shouted at him for being _bitten by a human_. Mikey, however, found it hilarious and started calling him "Bitten One". However, he soon dropped it as Raph kept slapping him over the head for saying it.

That night, while he was rocking gently in his hammock, Raph was unable to get to sleep. He seemed full of energy, ready to leap up and run laps around the lair.

_What the heck?_ Raph wondered, standing up and quietly moving to the dojo. Leo was inside, practicing a kata.

"Restless?" his brother asked, not breaking rhythm. Raph had to admire Leo; even being almost three feet taller than normal, having cumbersome wings and a tail, Leo was still graceful. He moved through the stances of the advanced kata he was working on at the moment like a dancer.

"Yeah," Raph answered finally. "Care to spar?"

"Sure." Leo put his katanas up and faced off with Raph, who threw aside his Sais and stuck them in the wall where he always did. He never missed; there were only two holes in the walls, specially made for Raph's Sai. He liked having them handy to pull at any moment.

They faced off, and Raph attacked first. Viscously, he swung a left punch at Leo's chest, who let it connect and bounce painfully off his metal chest plates. Raphael ducked a swing from Leo's wing and tried to swipe his brother's feet out from under him. Leo jumped over him, but seemed to move slowly. Raph brought a fist up and punched Leo in the side.

_This is all wrong,_ Raph thought, blocking a kick that seemed to move through molasses. _Either he's going slow, or I'm speeding up! _

Suddenly, a searing sting erupted in his neck, right where the bite was. Raph shouted in pain and dropped to his knees, his hands grabbing at his neck and trying to locate what was hurting.

Leo pulled his hands away and inspected Raph's neck. The two fang marks let behind by the human were glowing a blood red. Leo bit his lip and finally picked Raph's now-unconscious form up in his wing and ran out of the dojo.

"Don! Donnie!" he bellowed, waking both turtles still asleep. "Donnie!"

"Leo! What-"

But Leo's appearance, Raph's insensible form in his wing, quelled Don's shout of wonder. Mikey burst into the lab just as Leo was putting Raph onto a table. He gasped and walked over, looking at Raphael.

"What happened?" Don asked gruffly, rubbing sleep from his eyes even as he took Raph's pulse.

"We were sparring," Leo said, voice distressed. "He seemed to be mover faster, and then he suddenly clutched his neck and fell down. He passed out. The bite marks were glowing red."

"Crap," Don swore, putting a breathing mask on their brother. "Leo, Mikey, make yourselves useful and wake Master Splinter. There's nothing wrong with him," Don added when Leo started to protest. "At least, nothing I can pinpoint yet. By the time you return, I should have a cell analysis done."

Leo nodded and ushered Mikey out with his wings and they headed for Master Splinter's room. Their Sensei was asleep when Leonardo slid the door open slowly and silently.

"Sensei," called quietly, willing his father to wake. Master Splinter's eyes opened and he looked at his son from his bed.

"My son. What is wrong?" the aged rat asked, easing himself out of bed and into his robe, grabbing his walking stick.

"Raphael collapsed a minute ago, Master Splinter," Leo explained. "He's fine, physically, but Don's worried that it might be something… more like the problems I had. Magical or spiritual."

"Let us go to him," Master Splinter ordered. Leo bowed and backed out of the room, followed by his mentor. Mikey was waiting impatiently, and when they appeared, he made to rush towards Don's lab but Leo caught him in his wing.

"Ah ah ah. You're going back to bed, Kalian," Leo commanded, depositing Mike in his clutter box. "Raph's fine. If anything happens, I'll come get you."

"But- but…" Mikey looked around. His dark room was suddenly menacing, and Raph wasn't sleeping across the hall to make Mike feel safe.

Leo sighed warmly and cupped Mikey in his wing. "Would you rather sleep in my room?"

Wordlessly, Mikey curled closer to Leo. He didn't want to sleep alone, he wanted to be with Leonardo, his strong brother.

"Okay," Leo whispered, folding his youngest brother into his wing and humming to him soothingly. Mikey always responded the worst when someone was hurt, especially when Raph was the victim.

Master Splinter met the winged turtle in the hall and motioned for him to follow the rat. They headed for Don's lab, Mikey already asleep and snoring quietly.

Don looked up as they came in, but Leo only watched Raph. Raph was… darker. His dark green skin had deepened to a black color.

"Let me guess," Leo said. "Vampire bites?"

"I guess so," Don answered, feeling useless. "I think he's turning into a vampire. I was reading up on it just now… Leo, this book says vampires are vulnerable to daylight. And they are very fast, very strong, and can see in the dark." Leo looked at Raph's eyes and touched his own. "I've checked. His are a darker red, but they're slit-pupiled sure enough. I'm glad he's asleep; that had to be painful for him."

"It is," Leo whispered, moving forward to touch Raph's arm. "So, we've now got a vampire-turtle?"

"I guess so," Don said. He was amazingly calm, and Leo suspected that they all would be hit with the reality when Raph woke up, which would probably happen after sunset.

"My sons, I know this is a difficult time for you all, but you must lend each other support," Master Splinter said, resting a furry hand on his eldest's elbow. He couldn't reach Leonardo's shoulder anymore.

"Well, I guess we wait then," Leo alleged hoarsely. He turned and walked out of the room, hoping to catch some time alone to meditate. Mike could sleep on his futon for now.

An hour of mediation did little for Leo but calm him down a bit. Don was studying vampires, and Mike was still asleep. Presumably, Master Splinter was meditating, but Leonardo didn't feel his presence on the astral plane. He had probably fallen asleep again…

"L-Leo?"

Mikey's trembling voice brought him out of his trance and he looked over at his Kalian warmly.

"Yes?"

"Is Raph gonna be okay?"

"Of course," Leo admonished gently. "You know Raph. Donnie says he's just being turned into a vampire, like I was turned into a dragon."

Mike gasped and hugged his Kavara hard. "Wh-What? He's… Raph's turning into a vampire? I wanna see him!"

"Okay, but he's still asleep. He's got light-sensitive eyes like me now, and his skin is darker. Other than that, we'll have to wait and see what has happened to him when he can get up and walk around." Leo scooped Mike up in his wing, and they trooped silently to the lab.

Inside, Donnie was asleep, his mouth hanging open and threatening to drool onto an open book. Leo saved the book and gently put Donnie to bed, not letting Mike get out of his wing until Don was safe under his covers, a content smile on his face.

"Now?" Mikey whined. Leo sighed but opened his wing and the hyper turtle charged out before his Kavara could change his mind.

He looked at Raph's motionless body and gripped his brother's hand in his own. Leo had put a bit of the fabric covering his own eyes into one of Raph's red masks. His skin was darker, and looked black in the dim lighting in the lab, since Leo had all but turned the lights out so that if Raph woke up he'd be in a comfortable darkness. Plus, it would let Donnie sleep a little better.

"Ugh… Mikey?" Raph asked, stirring. Mikey nearly shouted with joy but Raph seemed to sense something was wrong. "What's going on? Why do I have one of Leo's masks on? Why am I in the lab? Where's Leo and Donnie?"

"I'm right here, Raph," Leo said. "I sewed a bit of the black fabric into one of your masks, Raph."

"Why?"

How to answer that one? Truthfully.

"You're changing, Raphael," Leo said carefully. "That thing that bit you wasn't human."

"THEN WHAT THE SHELL WAS IT?" Raph asked loudly.

"A… vampire." Raph stiffened and then laughed, waking Donnie who stood up blearily and crossed to stand next to Mikey.

"A vampire? You're kidding, right?" Only silence met Raph's accusation. "Oh, shell."

"Yeah. I was thinking the same thing. How're you feeling?" Donnie asked, putting a hand on Raph's plastron.

"Good, actually. What time is it?"

"Just after sunset," Don whispered, looking at the clock. "Congratulations, Raphael. Your internal clock is officially set to nocturnal."

"Wow." Raph sat up slowly, then stood up and breathed in slowly. "So… I'm becoming a blood-sucking, nocturnal, bat-turtle. Correct?"

"I'm not sure about blood-sucking," Donnie hastened to correct. "And I don't know if you can morph, and don't you dare try until I give you a clean bill of health!"

"Cool." Everyone stared at Raph. He was taking this way too coolly.


	3. A Nightmare

Raph spent the rest of that night doing tests with his new strength

Raph spent the rest of that night doing tests with his new strength. He could lift even Leo now, but it was a bit of a strain. Also, he could run so fast it looked like he disappeared and then reappeared, but Don's cameras, when slowing the feed by fifty percent, showed Raph running as if in slow motion.

"Incredible," Don kept saying as he watched Raph pick up a hundred-pound weight in one hand, the other picking up an identical one. Usually, he used these with both arms, on a bench, with a spotter, but Raph was able to pick them up easily now.

"Welcome to the club," Leo had told him, clapping him over the shoulder. "Two mutant turtles, two mutant mutant turtles."

"Hmph." Raph grunted, setting the weights down gently. He was tired by now, and his body was telling him to go to sleep. Strangely, he wanted a cool, dark, damp cave. Also, he wanted to fall asleep like a bat.

Shrugging off Don's scientific garble, Raph walked swiftly to his room. Master Splinter was meditating again, and Raph thought of the rat fondly as he took off his mask and pads. He didn't bother turning on the light in his room; after all, he could see perfectly anyway.

Mike and Leo called a goodnight simultaneously. Raph grinned to himself as he lay in his swinging hammock. Those two had bonded so tightly… Mikey rarely slept in his room anymore. He'd crawl into bed next to Leo, tug a wing over himself, and wake in the morning when Leo removed his wing.

Raph felt saddened at that. He and Leo were always best friends when they were younger. It was always "Leo and Raph", not "Leo and Mikey". However, with his brother's sudden change, Raph supposed Mike was the best for him. His lighthearted moods could keep Leo from killing something on one of his bad days, when the RTS in his system became active and Leo was out of it mentally for a few hours. Raph and Don had learned to step lightly around him at such times, and to _not_ approach Mikey. If they did, Leo would always drive them off, merely by his presence usually. However, once, Don had brushed past Leo and was about to give Mikey something when he found himself half-way across the room, swatted aside by the over-protective Kavara's wing.

_That_ had had an impact on Leo, who would shut himself in his room when the RTS was acting up, but thankfully such "episodes" were weakening in both timing and strength.

Mikey always sat with him through those times, cupped in Leo's wing.

Raph shook his head and blinked a few times. It was time for him to go to bed. Soon, he was snoring.

That night, Raph dreamed. He knew this dream, he'd had it countless times before. He was running through the sewers, crying. Leo had just been named leader, and he was angry and sad. He'd always been the strongest, most daring. Leo as a stick in the mud, timid and shy.

_The water dripped from the walls as Raph whirled past. He'd left his Sai at home, but he didn't care. Nothing mattered; he wasn't leader! Leo was…_

"_Why him?" he kept saying to himself. Finally, he came to the fort he had built, by himself. No one knew about it, and it was his place. Donnie had his lab, Mikey had Leo's room to go to, and Leo… LEO never needed anything like a personal space. He was always willing to help anyone, and spent hardy any time in his own room, preferring to sleep with one of his brothers, who ever needed him that night. He'd curl up with Mikey and Don, and talk almost all night with Raph, both sitting in the hammock Raph had found in a dumpster. _

_He climbed the rungs of the ladder up to the look out, where he could see the Hudson. It was beautiful, serene. Tears flowed down his cheeks as he watched the current flow by, close enough that Raph was tempted to let it take him away._

_Obviously, Master Splinter didn't need him anymore. He had Fearless now, and Leo would do anything for their Sensei._

_Raph didn't know how long he sat there, but his tears were drying and he was cold. He'd always been the most sensitive of his brothers to their surroundings._

"_Why him?" he sobbed quietly, burying his face in his arms._

"_What's the matter?" a little girl's voice asked. Raph shrunk into shadow, not knowing how the human child had found him. "Why are you crying?"_

"_Go away!" he shouted at the girl, stepping forward angrily. The little girl shrieked at his appearance and Raph was dumbfounded. It was the first time anyone other than his brothers and Master Splinter had seen him, and the terror in the girl's voice was bone-chilling._

"_G-Get away from me!" the kid sobbed, backing up as Raph stepped closer. He just wanted to help her, since she had to be lost. "Freak!"_

_That struck Raph to the core. Master Splinter had said that "freak" was a terrible word, never to be used. He hadn't said why, though, and from the anger and fear in the child's voice, Raph thought it was a word that meant that he was different, so different that it was scary to her._

"_Wait!" he called as she ran away. There were pipes sticking out of the floor, and they were not all ground down by years. Raph watched, frozen, as the girl tripped, fell… Raph shut his eyes. _

_When he opened them again, he was greeted by a horrific sight. The girl's back was up, and a bloody pipe was sticking up through it. The human wasn't breathing._

_The word echoed in his mind. "Freak… freeeaaak… freeeeeaaaak." Raph couldn't bring himself to touch the little girl's corpse, so he ran. He ran and ran and ran, through the sewers, and then above, in the human world._

_Leo would be getting worried, but Raph didn't care. The girl's horrified scream, that word, her body bleeding all over the place… it all stayed in his head, and he couldn't get it out. _

Raph really wanted to wake up now, he was frightened. The dream/memory never went on so long.

_He finally sat down, exhausted. His legs ached badly and he was heaving, trying to cry and pant at the same time. Tightness grew in his chest until he could only suck air in and sit there. He was in an alley, surrounded by cardboard boxes and trash. He noticed a comic book; it was in good condition. He would bring it to Mikey…_

_A cry alerted him to danger. He looked around and noticed that a young teenager was running from a bunch of thugs. The teen was light and slim, clutching a purse, and the pursuers were blocky but just as fast. They cornered her near where Raph sat._

_She turned around, back against the wall, and screamed for help. No one came as the bullies got closer, forming a semi-circle around her to trap her to the wall._

_Raph felt anger light in him. He'd always been protecting of his brothers, and here was someone he could help. Maybe it'd make up for the terrible death of the little girl, in a small way._

_And, he could beat up the thugs and hopefully get rid of some anger._

_Leaping up, the young turtle reached for his Sai, but remembered that he'd run out without them. He shrugged and jumped in front of the female, knowing he was exposing himself but not really caring._

"_W-What?" she stammered, her fear-filled eyes watching him as he crouched, ready to kick some human butt. _

_The thug nearest him sneered and started forward with a crow bar. Raph bit his lip, but lunged for it, grabbed the weapon, and yanked it from the man's grasp. Then he flung it away and punched the bully in the gut, putting his entire weight behind that hit. He felt bones crunch beneath his fist._

_Horrified at what he'd done, he backed up, blocking another thug as he came at Raph. His eyes never left the man unconscious on the ground, however, as he beat up the rest of them, keeping his punches down to a minimum of bruising badly. Soon, the men were all unconscious, and he looked at the teenager, who was staring at him._

_She had a cut on her shoulder that was leaking blood. Raph started walking towards her, but she backed up in fear. _

"_G-Get away f-from me, y-you FREAK!" she cried, throwing her purse at him. "T-take it, but leave me alone."_

"_No, lady," Raph tried, but all he got was a screech of fear as he kept advancing. Hurt deeply, he backed down, dropping her purse and heading for the rooftops. He had to get away!_

_He watched the thug he had hurt badly from the fire escape after the lady left. He felt so bad; he'd taken a life! But suddenly, the man moved, groaned, and twitched his foot. Feeling happier, Raph jumped down to help, but when he put a hand on the man's shoulder, to help him onto his back, the man cursed at him, and called him "freak" again._

_Tears sprang to Raph's eyes. No matter what he tried to do, he always messed up! So he left the human without a word and went back to the sewers. He never returned to that alley, nor did he go back to his hideout, creating a new one._

_It was then that Raph became the hard, unforgiving turtle he was now, at eighteen years old. Leo had noticed the change and had tried to talk to him about it, thinking it was jealousy that Leonardo had been given the post of leader. _

_They started getting further apart, becoming the pair that always fought. Raph resisted Leo's ruling decisions because he never wanted Don or Mikey exposed to what he had seen. He wanted to protect them, especially Don. Donnie needed his mind to be carefree to invent stuff; if he had seen what Raph did, if he killed someone, Don would never be the same. He'd lose his love for learning and machines._

_Raph knew this. Before seeing the little girl die, he had loved to tinker just like Don, but he tinkered with foods. He was the family cook when they were young, but after that night… he never touched food again. He rarely ate, too, preferring those smoothies, because he could still feel the bones crunching under his fist every time he ate crunchy foods, saw the blood pooling from the girl every time he watched Mikey whip up cookies and pour the batter into the pans. _

_It had gotten easier, but Raph still grimaced when he crushed something. To combat this, he put up a rough exterior. The wall had been up so long that he didn't know how to take it down. _

Mikey listened at the door as Raph tossed and turned, moaning. He didn't want to wake his brother, knowing Raph might accidentally hurt him. But when Raph groaned again, Mike steeled himself and walked into the room, putting a hand on Raph's shoulder.

When Raph attacked, Mikey barely had the time to scream.


	4. Confessions

A/N: Thanks for all the reviews

**A/N: Thanks for all the reviews! Wow! You really like this story, huh? Alright, on with the show!**

Leo stiffened and leapt up as Mikey's scream reached his ear holes. Fighting the RTS, the Kavara ran out of the room at top speed and headed for Raph's.

He caught Mikey as the orange turtle was flung out of the tempered turtle's room. Carefully, Leo looked inside the darkness. He could clearly see and hear Raphael panting, obviously scared.

"Mikey!" Don called. Raph's head snapped up, and Leo saw his eye ridges snap together as he moved towards his brothers. Don skidded to a halt next to Leo and Mike. The youngest turtle was hidden in Leonardo's wing, and Leo seemed to be concerned. Don sighed thankfully; the RTS hadn't set in, which meant Don could check Mike without being slapped.

"Raph," Leo said, putting Mike into Don's arms and pointing silently at the lab, telling the purple-banded turtle to check on Mikey. "Raph, are you okay?" Don scooped up the senseless little turtle and swiftly made his way into his room and laboratory.

"I… Leo, what'd I do?" Raph asked shakily, sitting down on the floor with a thump. Leo came into the darkness and spread his wings over Raph, sitting in front of him. His wings created a wall that, he was told, made a very nice "private area" to talk in, and it was warm.

"You threw Mikey across the room," Leo said. "What happened?"

Raph remembered having the dream, and then… Nothing. Just a terrified scream, like the lady's all those years ago. The vampire-turtle shuddered to think he could have really hurt his brother.

"I had a nightmare. I guess Mikey tried to wake me up, but… I think I attacked him." Raph looked up, hoping Leo was in full control of himself and the RTS hadn't taken over. However, when his brother didn't attack, Raph figured he was safe enough.

"Why? What was the nightmare about?" Leo pressed.

Raph really didn't want to tell, but right then… Leo never told secrets; shell, he'd keep it even from the person themselves! He'd held this demon long enough… Leo would understand, surely?!

"I… Do you remember when you were named leader? We were ten."

"Yes. You ran away for a few hours. I was worried sick," Leo said. He was calm and loving. Such emotions were the trademark of their brother when he was worried about someone.

"Well… I never told you what happened. Please don't interrupt. If you do… I don't know if I'll be able to continue." Leo nodded silently. "I had this old place, you know. It overlooked the Hudson River."

Raph explained all that had happened that night to Leonardo, who sat silent throughout the tale. When he was done, he was nearly crying, and when Leo reached forward and hugged Raphael in his wings and arms, the torrent was let loose.

Leo let Raph cry against his metal plastron until there was nothing left in his second-in-command to cry with. Then he pulled back, knowing that Raphael didn't like showing weakness.

"I knew," Leo said softly. Raph looked up sharply. "I found the girl's body and saw the report on the news."

"It was all my fault!" Raph insisted. Leo put his hand out, palm towards Raph, like they used to do when they were tots. Raph matched Leo's hand with his. It was a symbol of their bond, or had been.

"It wasn't," Leo said, his hand warm against Raph. "That girl was going to die anyway. You didn't see it, but she had been shot. I don't know how or why, but the stake just ended it quicker."

"W-What?" Raph asked, truly amazed. Leo had _examined_ the body? "What happened to her?"

"I buried her in the river. It seemed appropriate, because she had been crying when she died. I couldn't burn her properly, I couldn't dig a grave. I did the best I could. So did you. You need to accept that. That thug would have attacked another woman. That girl would have died anyway; your appearance let her forget her pain for a moment, and then her life was ended mercifully."

"Mercifully? Leo, she was a _child_."

"Raph, I'm only telling you this because I don't want you blaming yourself. That little girl was shot. Do you know where?" Raph shook his head dumbly. "I'll give you a hint. She had probably been raped before being shot, judging by the bruises and torn clothes, but I couldn't really tell."

Raph gasped, then felt like vomiting. "You… You knew? Why didn't you say anything?"

"Because you never did. Raph, I'm your best friend. I'll never tell a secret you tell me, and I won't broach a topic you don't like unless it's for your own good."

Strangely, Raph couldn't get angry at Leonardo right then, even though those words would usually send him into a fit of rage. Leo sighed and moved to sit next to his brother, dwarfing him in the process.

"You do that on purpose," Raph accused when Leo reached down and wrapped his arm around his brother's shoulders.

"Do not!" Leo objected. "I can't help it that I'm so much bigger."

"We could cut you off at the knees!" Raph suggested teasingly. His bad mood was gone, and he felt lighter than he had in years, as if a heavy weight had been removed from his shoulders.

"Don't you dare!" Leo said, punching Raph lightly. "Wanna watch something?"

"Sure. Let's watch some cheesy cartoon and laugh at it!" Raph recommended, standing up gracefully. He didn't offer Leo a hand simply because his elder brother would pull his down even without meaning to, he was so heavy.

"I'm up for that!" Leo and Raph raced into the entertainment center, flopped on the couch, and fought over the remote, like they had when they were younger. Mike soon joined them, wrapping up in Leo's wing and waving off Raph's apologies. Don was tinkering… again.

"So what do we want to watch?" Leo asked, winning the remote and holding it out of Raph's reach easily.

"Mine!" Mikey squealed, grabbing the remote. Since Leo had held it next to him, on Mikey's side, it wasn't that hard. "My remote!"

"Fine," Leo huffed. "You pick, Kalian."

"Hmmm… Oh, this looks good," Mike said, stopping on a channel. It was a pay-per-view, but since Don was a hacking genius, they got the movies for free. Leo never complained, since it was technically not dishonorable. It was a creative way of achieving a goal.

It was a horror flick about a monster that invaded Japan. A lot like the earliest Godzilla movie. The "special effects" were terrible, and you could tell that the "blood" was ketchup and syrup. Also, the "organs" were Jell-O, and the corpses were badly-made dolls.

However, it took Raph's mind off his nightmare as he laughed with his brothers freely, enjoying his lightheartedness. Mike noticed the change but didn't comment much, except to say that he was glad Leo and Raph were good friends again. Leo assured him that Mike was still his Kalian, and Mikey beamed, sticking his tongue out at Raphael. It was promptly pulled hard by his hotheaded brother.

It was early evening when they finished the movie, and Raph was tired again. After the credits started scrolling up the screen, he marched off to his hammock. They hadn't turned on any lights, so both Leo and Raph were sitting without their masks on, though Leo's was around his neck in case Don decided to flip the lights accidentally.

"Hey, Leo, Mikey, come here a minute!" Don's voice called urgently. Mike snuggled closer to Leo and put the remote down on the couch. Sighing in mock frustration, Leo got up off the reinforced sofa – he'd broken it before Don had added a stronger frame – and walked with Mikey cuddled in his wing to Donnie's lab.

"What?" Leo asked politely, looking at the cloth-covered hump behind Don curiously.

"You know how Raph suggested I build something that grooms your wings for you?" Don asked. Leo nodded. "I did it!"

"Great!" Mikey said. "Now I won't have to." They all knew he was teasing, though.

"May I try it? Mike was going to oil them tonight anyway," Leo explained.

"Sure!" Don uncovered the machine and Leo looked at it. It was a table with two compartments sticking out both ends that would hold his wings down. A sliding cover would then swathe them, and the soft cloths on the belts would rub the oil from Leo's oil wells into the membrane.

Leo dumped Mikey gently out and then lay on the table, plastron down, as Don stretched out his wings and slid the clamps over them. Mikey joined him, helping where he could.

"Alright. Now, we see if this thing works." Don flipped a switch and Leo felt the belts holding the cloths start to move. They pulled the oil from the tops of his wings down the membrane to the tips. It felt very good. Leo started purring, and he couldn't stop.

In his room, Raph stared at the ceiling, wishing he could go to sleep. However, he was hungry… and not for food. Shuddering, the turtle rolled over and shut his eyes tightly.


	5. Toy Run

For a few days, Raph woke at sunset and went to sleep at dawn, until his brothers were tired of being nocturnal and he agreed to start a schedule that would slowly make him be wakeful during the afternoon so he could play with his brothers, train, and pu

For a few days, Raph woke at sunset and went to sleep at dawn, until his brothers were tired of being nocturnal and he agreed to start a schedule that would slowly make him be wakeful during the afternoon so he could play with his brothers, train, and pummel Mikey.

Leo was officially free of the RTS, but Donnie was keeping a check on him, and had locked away the remote that could kill him.

It was getting harder and harder for Raph to control himself. He could feel everyone watching him, since he rarely ate anymore. He couldn't help it; anything liquid was blood, anything hard was bone. It was like he was _trying_ to trick himself into eating meat, which personally disgusted the turtle. Chicken noodle soup was about the only meat he ever allowed himself to eat, and that only because the chicken was so nasty usually that Raph knew it wasn't really all meat.

"Yo, Raph!" Mikey called one night. Raph had had his nightmare again, but Leo had woken him before he could get to the thug attack; the turtle was tired and cranky.

"What?" he snapped.

"We're heading topside. Wanna come?" It was after dark, so Raph wasn't worried about having a bad sunburn.

"Sure!" he yelled back. He needed fresh air, and he really needed to get out of the lair. Master Splinter gave them permission, and soon Leo, Raph, and Mikey were following Don, who was searching for some parts for his newest invention, a ting that was supposed to test blood samples from Mikey and Don, then compare them to Leo and Raph's. This way, Don explained, he could tell what genes had changed. At least, that's what Raph understood; Don had explained this with his usual scientific garble that would only make sense to a really smart human.

"So, Don, what're we looking for again?" Mike burbled, leaping over a vent and leading the way, his immense store of energy finding a good use to put itself to finally.

"In you language?" Don grinned. "A big microscope."

"Where will we find that?" Leo asked carefully, stopping on a ledge and perching there like a gargoyle. Don and Mike stood next to him, Raph further down the rooftop on the edge of it, staring through his mask's black eye "holes" and at the life below. New York never slept.

"Remember Bishop's lab?" Don asked. "We brought back some small stuff, but we left the big stuff. We're going to head out there and get some more of the stuff I can use."

Leonardo winced; he still did whenever someone mentioned that dreaded place. Mike huddled closer, seeking and giving comfort from and to their eldest. Absently, Leo's wing swept open and wrapped slightly around him.

"Okay. Why aren't we at the ware house?" Leo asked.

"I don't want to take it. Remember what Raph said about the chopper idea?" Don asked. Leo nodded. "I've made Bishop's chopper operational, so we're gonna take that. It's less of a hassle to load, it's got more room since you will be flying I take it?"

"Yes, and I'll take Mikey with me."

"Thanks. Also, it'll be a lot less conspicuous if one of Bishop's choppers lands and takes stuff away than the Battle Shell," Don finished.

"Sounds good. Let's get moving. Raph, you heard that?" Leo asked his brother out of sheer courtesy. Raph's hearing was as good as Leonardo's now, though his had taken longer to set in and so they hardly noticed it until, when Mikey screamed at a "scary" movie, Raph had heard it painfully though he was on the other side of the layer. Since then, he'd been wearing ear plugs, which inspired Leo to do the same, since he was always with the loudest turtle.

However, Leo took them out on patrol whereas Raph left them in his ear holes. No one commented; Raph was touchier lately.

"Yep," came the gruff answer. "Let's get going." All four turtles started leaping across rooftops again, following Donnie. He was the one who had hid the helicopter, after all, and he had hidden it so well that it took him two tries to get to the junkyard's center and find the chopper in the heap of "rubble".

Soon, he and Raph were seated in the cockpit, Don teaching Raphael a little bit about flying the machine. Leo was waiting with Mike next to him for them to take off when he heard a noise from behind them.

"What was that?" Leo wondered aloud, turning around. Mike was too excited as Donnie started up the engine and gave them a thumbs up to signal that they were about to take off and that Leonardo should get ready.

When Mike turned around, however, Leo was looking intently at the junkyard behind them. He quickly rustled his right wing, which Mikey knew meant Leo wanted silence.

He looked with his brother, but didn't see anything past the shadows.

"Bro, let's go," Mikey whined. Don had taken off and was hovering patiently above them. Sighing, Leo nodded and crouched, letting Mikey jump onto his shell, and then unfurled his massive wings. That was Mikey's favorite part; those muscles beneath his plastron would move and his brother's warm wings would rustle like dry leaves as they unfolded magnificently.

Leo took off, the whoosh of air past Mike's head letting him forget everything. Together, flying turtle and chopper turned towards the north, heading for the farm and from there, the lab where they were held prisoner.

It took two hours, during which Raph slept lightly in the back of the copter. He awoke when Don yelled that they were landing and stood up, hanging onto the bars on the wall as they bumped gently to a landing.

"Whoa!" Mikey cried from above. He was on Leo's back, but Leo was diving quickly towards the ground. Just as Raph was sure they'd hit hard, Leo flared his wings and tipped his body forward, creating a wind breaker that almost pulled his Kalian from his shell.

They touched down and Leo ran a few steps to slow them down without falling. Mikey hopped down and hugged their leader, then ran over to Raph and Don. They had just opened the side doors and Don was going through the entrance, checking for signs of visiting since they had left.

It was silent, but the regular night noises around them echoed playfully as if reminding the turtles that they were once as innocent and insignificant as the crickets rubbing their legs together.

Leo smiled in happiness and looked to the stars, spotting Orion and the Dippers instantly. Mike yelled at him to help as they tried to lug a huge piece of machinery out of the lab's open doors, Raph somewhere else, probably checking for alive personnel or traps.

"I'm coming," Leo called, picking up one end and taking most of the weight. "Featherweights!"

"Giant!" Don shot back.

"Dwarves!" Leo laughed, easing the machine into the chopper and sliding it towards the back, then securing it with some handy ropes.

When he rejoined Don and Mikey, Raph was with them. He was shifting through rubble, holding a drawing of a microscope-like thing in one hand. Don and Mike were moving further into the building, towards the lab where Leo had been held.

Leo followed them knowing Raph was fine on his own. He caught up to his brothers as they were taking small scanners from Stockman's main lab. Don pointed to a computer console and asked Leo to bring it all, including the monitor, which was bigger than their big-screen TV Don had fixed for Mikey's birthday one year.

He obligingly pulled outside to the transport and gave Raph a "hello" nod as the two passed each other. Raph tipped his head to the right, saying, "Hey" in a very casual way that bespoke that he was wandering in his mind.

"Alright, that's it," Don announced an hour later, wiping his greasy hands on a cloth rag from one of Bishop's stores. "I've got everything I could possibly want from this place. We could make a second trip later if I know of anything I really need, but this is good for now."

"Okay," Leo agreed. "See you guys at home!" Mike jumped onto his brother's shell and Leo took off immediately, vanishing into the darkness. Raph got into the copter with Don and they took off after their brother, flying back to NYC. Once they were close, Don pressed a button. When Raph asked, stupidly, what that did, Don responded that it sent out wavelengths of "noise" to "confuse" radars. They'd show up as a bird coming into New York, or perhaps an eagle if the radars were closer and could pick up more of the… Then Raph lost him and sat back, pretending to listen for his brother's sake.

When they landed, Don and Raph saw Leo and Mikey waiting patiently, sitting on an old car hood. Don opened up the side doors again, and Mikey complained at the prospect of moving all this junk into the sewers, through muck and water without hurting any of Don's precious toys.

"Don, can you park it in the warehouse?" Leo asked finally, when Mike was starting to list the possibilities of having such expensive equipment in the open. "He's got a valid point," he added when Don smirked.

"Alright," Don sighed, getting back into the pilot's seat and motioning for Raph to join him. The hothead did so silently, which was unusual. In fact, Leo recalled, he had hardly said a thing all day.

With Leo and Mikey flying themselves – or Leo flying them both – they made the quick hop to the warehouse, where Don landed on the creaking roof. It broke, and they fell through to the vexation of Don, but nothing was hurt or damaged, except the roof. Leo was confident no one would notice, since it was a back corner and the helicopter could now be kept closer to the lair.

"Well, let's unload this," Leo suggested, picking up a large machine and moving over to the elevator, calling it up to him. He waited patiently, and Raph joined him, arms full of littler gadgets. Leo said nothing, knowing Raph might explode and crush something.

Soon, Don and Mikey joined them just as the egg-shaped elevator appeared and the door opened. Leo and Raph went through, followed by Mike and Donnie.

Quickly, Don's toys were stored in a separate room that was usually saved for guests. However, when Mikey was running from Raph a few days ago, he'd touched a wall panel to reveal another wing like the turtles' rooms that was lit by more of those strange crystals. It was extremely dusty, too, but it would become Don's new lab, Leo's meditation room for himself, Raph's workout area, and Mikey's storage unit for his vast collection of comics that had long since filled his room. However, until Donnie managed to run electricity to his new room, he'd have to settle for the guest room to store his things in until he could finish the wiring.

Leo shut off the lights in the room above as he and Raph locked the place up carefully, checking for cameras at Leonardo's insistence. Raph grumbled but checked thoroughly, almost as paranoid as Leo when his older brother told him about the noise at the junkyard he thought he'd heard.

When they got back down to the lair, Mikey was stock silent and Don was pale. Both sat next to Master Splinter, looking at the TV avidly. Leo and Raph immediately joined them, watching the news program. They both looked at each other, then back at the screen incredulously.

There was a picture of Leo and Mikey standing with their shells to the camera.


	6. Preparation

"WHAT THE SHELL

"WHAT THE SHELL?!" Raph yelled, almost throwing a Sai into the screen but stopping himself just in time. Leo backed off a little to give him some needed room and Mikey sought comfort in his big brother's wings, knowing they had messed up big time. Master Splinter was silent, as was a trembling Donnie.

Raph continued ranting, shouting at the photographer, the news anchor lady, and then even at the camera itself! Finally, Leo braved the storm and told Raphael that they needed to calm down and think.

That was when the phone rang. Don got up to answer it, but Leo shook his head and pointed to Raph, then made a quick slicing motion across his plastron. Donnie nodded and walked to his lab, grabbed a tranquilizer gun, and came back out without so much of a flicker of mischief when Raph turned to him.

Quickly, before his fanged brother could react, he brought out the gun and pushed the needle into Raph's arm. Stiffening with surprise, the hothead gave Don enough time to inject him and then pull away with the tranq.

"Thanks," Mikey sighed as Raph's eyes fogged, shutting him up for a few minutes as he tried to shake the drug. He was unsuccessful, however, and Don sat him down on the couch carefully.

Leo came back in, his face carefully neutral. He looked at Raph then nodded before leaning against the wall and speaking. "That was April. She caught the announcement and says she will scan the police radio for anything like a sighting of us or someone who knows more information, like Karai or Bishop."

"What're we gonna do?" Mikey asked, staring at Leo helplessly. Leonardo held out a wing and hugged both of his brothers comfortingly.

"We're going to play ninja… and stay here," Leo said decisively. "We will not go topside, we will not let anyone see us. If our warehouse is found-"

"I've… I've rigged it to blow if we needed," Don interrupted. "I could detonate the bombs and blow the place sky high." He grimaced along with Leo; they both knew how much work Donatello had put into making the Battle Shell, and reconfiguring the helicopter. Not to mention, Raph's beloved Shell Cycle was in that abandoned building above their home.

"We'll grab the Shell Cycle and some of the smaller things we can," Leo said calmly. "We'll do it now, while Raph's asleep. Come on."

He left his brothers no room for arguing as he pushed them into the elevator and they headed up towards the street.

When the egg stopped, Don and Mikey melted into the shadows on either side of the door and Leo stood on the ledge above, ready to jump out at any human snooping around. However, it was silent, and Leo cautiously sniffed. He smelled nothing save the stink of the warehouse and the smell of oil and grease everywhere.

He, Don, and Mikey loaded the Shell Cycle, Hoverboards, and a few Utrom loader carts that Don was working on fixing up into more transports. Don ran his hand over the Battle Shell and helicopter, which he named the Flying Shell.

His expression determined, he turned back around and shut the door to the elevator, standing still as he and his brothers descended again. They tucked the machines into Leo's almost-completed meditation room, seeing as the others were full of comics, wires, or weights. Then Don left silently and Leo held Mikey back.

When a _boom_ shook the lair slightly, Leo and Mikey looked up, then at each other. The beloved Battle Shell was gone, the newly-dubbed Flying Shell blown to bits.

However, when Don came in, he was scared and panting, his Bo in his hands.

"What's wrong?" Leo asked calmly, knowing Donnie needed something collected to hold on to so he could get himself under control.

"I didn't blow the warehouse. That was not me," he added unnecessarily. "I've checked the cameras; they're all still functional. The warehouse is swarming with SWAT teams!"

"My sons, prepare the lair for an invasion. Donatello, wake Raphael up immediately. Leonardo, Michelangelo, bar the rooms and set up defenses. Shut the front door tight," Master Splinter ordered, coming forward with a katana sheath on his back and a pair of fighting knives sheathed in his newly-acquired belt.

Leo nodded and ran to his room with Mike in tow. They pushed aside the dresser and unlocked the door behind it, then Mikey crawled in and started pushing buttons. Donnie had found this room and accidentally activated the lair's defenses, laid into the very stonework thousands of years ago. Leo was given the room with the entrance to the control room, but Mikey was the one who operated it, strangely enough. He understood the cryptic writing to a point, since it looked a lot like a fake language he had once learned for fun. It was called "Atlantian" but no one believed it was real until Mikey read the panel and told Donnie why all of the doors had shut and locked.

Soon, Leo's room was closed off as well, and Mikey crawled out with a groan.

"I fit in there a lot better two years ago," he complained. "It'll allow only us and Master Splinter through these doors now. I've shut down the elevator."

"Good work, Mikey. Let's get our suits on."

Leo and Mike ran to the dojo only to find Don and Raph getting their "battle suits" out and unlocking the weapons from behind the stone walls by pushing buttons on the wall itself. Leonardo moved to his corner, Raph on his left, and got out his "battle weapons".

Besides his katanas, Leo wielded a pair of ono with deadly accuracy, so those were stored there along with a bunch of shruiken and a few smoke bombs. He got into the harness that also doubled as armor; Don had made them from the materials he found in his lab when he moved in.

Raph was donning his as well, and he was slipping his extra weapons in their holders. Like Leo, he used shruiken and had some tear gas bombs, but his main weapons besides the Sai were a matched pair of kama, sickle-like weapons. He liked these because they had greater reach than his Sai, was easy to handle, and was very simple. He smiled as he put his gear on, feeling his adrenaline pump.

Mike had, besides the usual throwing darts and smoke bombs, his nunchucks and a Manriki-Gusari. It looked like a kama that Raph used sometimes, but had a long chain with a weight on the end so he could take out foes from a distance.

Don had a bokken, a wooden sword, added to his usual Bo and shruiken collection. He preferred wood weapons, since they made noise when they hit and judging by that sound alone, one could tell where the weak points in another's weapon were. Plus, the simple weapons meant that he didn't need fancy sheaths like the rest of his brothers; he just stuck his Bo in his belt behind his shell and his bokken next to it.

Master Splinter was wearing his normal robe when they walked out, though he, too, was augmented by a pair of knives, a katana, and a few dozen throwing knives, all too small to do much except give his attacker's pause unless he hit them in the head or neck, which was pretty hard to do with the small things.

However, they all were ready to do battle. Leo got out some filling food that they could eat as they got ready for a fight and would sustain them through battle. He made sure to eat enough to keep his large body going, before following Don into his lab. Don wasn't sure about Leo's wings, so he coated them in a protective liquid that he had produced from the crystals. It moved with his wings, so he could fly, but it would turn bullets. Oh, not from point-blank range, but Don figured that, if Leo was shot from such a distance, he was dead anyway.

Then he shut down the display so that the faint glow wouldn't give him away in the shadows. After that came the worst part; waiting…

Mikey was silent, warming up his muscles carefully with Raph, lead by Master Splinter who had joined in the stretches. Don and Leo joined them, the entire family quiet and just enjoying each other's presence. After all, this would be a shell of a fight, and everyone knew that Leo or Master Splinter could die. The younger brothers wouldn't because of Leo's deal with the Ninja God, but if they were to be careless… Leo would pay, not them.

Another explosion rocked them, sounding closer and making Raph and Leo wince. Don handed them each a pair of ear plugs, but Leo refused, saying that he'd rather hear more than less. Raph shrugged and put them on, but Leo could tell they were very loose. Raphael would lose them in the first few minutes of hand-to-hand combat.

A crack appeared in the ceiling above; the turtles scattered with Master Splinter heading for the room with the Atlantian "guns" in them. They fired shots that could kill, but they also fired a shot that would stun and disorient an opponent. He handed three of the hand-held pistols to his sons each, and then Raph and Leo set up a turret near the TVs while Don and Mikey cleared the room. They set up another opposite the first, where Master Splinter would station himself. It was decided that Don would operate the other turret, since he was the best shot with the thing. Then, Leo, Mike, and Raph stood silently together, arms around each other's shoulders in a huddle. Don joined them soon, and Master Splinter let the sons say farewell to each other in case the worst happened.

Mikey and Don were crying, Raph's eyes were wet, and Leo's wings shook gently, his tail tapping the floor. He was sad, too, but refused to mess up his sight with tears.

Another explosion rocked them again, and they held onto each other tighter. Leo spread his wings over the entire group, signifying his pact with the Ninja God and telling them that, if he died tonight, he would always remember and love them.

As he lowered his wings, Raph sang softly. Mikey and Don joined in, and then Leo added his voice to the sad, slow poem Raph had made up after Leo had nearly died when he was ambushed.

_I'll see you later,_

_In another land, another time,_

_You'll always be in my heart,_

_You'll always be with me._

_When we fought together, _

_I soared because I knew you were near,_

_My love knows no boundaries,_

_My brothers are my strength,_

_My Sensei is my teacher,_

_My life is theirs…_

_My life is theirs…_

Another explosion shook the lair as they finished the poem. Raph took out his Sai, Leo unsheathed his katana, Mikey whirled his nunchucks, and Don slapped his Bo on the floor meaningfully. They were ready. They would fight.

Who would win?

Did it matter? Their lives would never be the same regardless.


	7. Invasion

Above, the SWAT team commander sighed in frustration

Above, the SWAT team commander sighed in frustration. When a man who called himself "Bishop" had contacted him with more information about the monsters in New York, Sergeant Adams was skeptical. However, he posted a scout near the "abandoned" warehouse just in case, and when he reported that _things_ were moving around, the officer decided that it was probably worth his time.

However, their bombs weren't doing much except scraping the surface of the stone beneath the warehouse. He had a research team on it, but they needed time. Time was not an option; the freaks could get away.

Sergeant Adams growled to himself, then stalked over to his bomb specialist.

"What's the strongest we've got?"

"Uh… some straight C4. If we blew a chunk of that, it'd probably take out this entire block." The man answered, scratching his head.

"Fine. It's deserted anyway. Set the charges and then let us clear out and do a thermal sweep so we don't hit anything. Anything human," he added.

"Yes, sir!" Both walked away towards their separate chores and soon, the C4 was set. They pulled out, standing a couple thousand feet away so they could catch anything trying to escape.

"Blow it!" the officer commanded, spitting in the dirt below him. "Let's get these freaks."

"Fire in the hole!" the bombing man shouted into his radio, then pushed a button. Sergeant Adams covered his eyes as the blast created a wind that buffeted them.

"Go, go, go!" Adams shouted, running forward with his gun at the ready.

They stopped around the newly-made hole, lighting sparkers and dropping them. They fell for about fifty feet and then landed in a pile of rubble. The light wasn't enough to see anything else except the rubble, but when they landed they echoed like they were in a big chamber.

"Alright, rig up some lines and let's get down there!" Adams set teams up that attached lines directly into the cement around them, throwing them down into the hole.

"Bad idea," a rough voice growled from the hole. Sergeant Adams gasped and stepped back as a huge _thing_ leapt towards his group. It had wings, a tail, but it's chest and back were covered by metal parts. The horns on its head and green-black skin made it obviously non-human.

Adams lowered his gun at it, then spoke loudly and clearly, wondering if he was a fool to do so.

"You are under arrest, freak. Come quietly." His team surrounded the creature and lowered their guns as well.

"You have invaded my home," it shot back. "_You_ should be leaving quietly. I give you one last chance."

"You're threatening me? When _I_ have a bigger army?" the man scoffed. However, the mutant just chuckled.

"I could care less." He leapt forward, wings opening and knocking several of his men down, unconscious. Adams felt a sword enter his gut, then another his chest. "Stay away from my family," the monster hissed in his ear as he sank to the ground.

His vision darkened, and he was lost…

"Leo!" Raph said in protest as their big brother fanned his wings. "You can't do that!"

"Watch me," Leo responded gruffly, leaping into the air. Raph and Mike watched him solemnly as he landed on the lip of the hole, then shrunk under it and gouged the stone for a hold with his wing claws.

Soon, he disappeared _into_ the human crowd above. Raph heard talking and then silence before the worrisome noise of guns blasting went off above them. Raphael growled and was prepared to help him when Leo soared into the lair again, his katana in his hands. He made a flawless landing next to Don's turret and then called out, "They're coming down. I thinned the ranks as much as I could. Raph, Mikey, get on opposite sides. There's only a few."

"Yes, sir!" Mikey cried, running around past Master Splinter and towards the entrance to the turtle's wing. He whirled his nunchucks and Raph wielded his Sai with anger burning in him. Leo took off and hid in the pipes above, staying stock still.

Ropes twisted as they fell, then moved around like someone was messing with them above. Raph felt himself get hyper as the first human appeared, but he forced himself to wait until the last one had landed and joined the huddled group on the rubble.

"Attack!" Leonardo cried, dropping in on them from above. Raph dove forward, followed swiftly by Mikey. Master Splinter and Don shot at the group with stun rays until their brothers reached the humans and engaged, then Don joined them and Master Splinter kept watch on the ropes for any new comers.

As they closed with their enemy, Leo let out a deafening roar, scaring the humans beyond some of their limits. The warm smell of urine cascaded over Leo's sensitive nose, and he breathed through his mouth as he landed in the middle of the group, slashing with his katanas blindly.

He took out two people and three guns all told in that first slice. Raph and his Sai soon became a huge threat.

Raph slashed, spun, and plunged his Sai into someone's throat. Warm blood gushed over his hand and down his arm as he pulled it out and readied a new attack. A man was raising his gun, aiming at Mikey's shell, when he lost his head to a vicious slice from Heartblood, Raph's right-hand Sai. Sunray attacked another human as Heartblood was busy deflecting a knife thrown at Raphael.

Brutally, Raph made his way to Donnie's side. He attacked the downed opponents Don's Bo had taken out, slicing their throats. It wasn't pretty, but when this skirmish was done, he wanted to be sure nothing and no one would know what had happened. As he and Don went shell-to-shell for a second, Raph yelled, "How're you holding up?"

Don whirled away for a strike, then responded very loudly. "Fine! You?"

"Great!" Raph answered, then looked around as he caught a machine gun fire. Mikey was standing, his 'chucks whirling and splintering skulls and ribs as he ruthlessly attacked. Raphael looked up and found Leo, hauling a human up by their leg and then dropping him. His shell was dinged, probably from shots he hadn't dived from, but he seemed to be fine.

Raph jumped aside as a knife slashed at his head. He countered, stabbed, and left the bleeding intruder.

"Mikey!" Leo called suddenly, panic in his voice. Raph glanced at their youngest brother, only to see Leo blocking a bullet meant for their downed brother. Mikey's leg was gushing blood from a bad wound; Leonardo quickly dispatched those around him and then grabbed Mike and took off, over the melee.

"Get him to safety!" he shouted at Don, then dropped Mikey into the waiting arms. He protected his brothers as Don took Mike back into the lab to bandage the cut so he could fight on, if need be.

However, only a few soldiers were left; Raph and Leo took care of them easily, helped a bit from Master Splinter, who had decided he needed to shot the stun gun and take out some of the humans with guns at the back of the pack from the two turtles.

When Mikey and Donnie came back out, Mike hobbling but otherwise fine, they found Leo and Raph cleaning their weapons that were crusted with blood.

"Leo…" Mikey said. "Thanks for saving me, Kavara." He was solemn and picked up one human. "Let's get these guys outta here."

"We can't bury them," Don said truthfully. "To the river it is."

Leo nodded and got two of the Utrom loading carts. He and Raph piled one high, and Mike and Don worked on the other. Master Splinter rested; he was not as young as he once was.

Soon, both of the movers were filled. Leo had taken all of the weapons and stored them against future attacks, and Raph was cleaning the blood from the floor with Don's help. Mike, exempt from helping because of his injury, sat on the couch at the far corner of the room.

"It'll just get worse from here on out," Leo said, coming back in with a clean mask on that was not covered by black cloth. He handed Mikey and Don similar ones, in their colors, and then tossed Raph his. "How're you holding up with the blood?" Leo asked their vampire-bitten brother.

"Just peachy," Raph said. He put hand over his nose, which didn't help since it, too, was covered in sticky human blood. "Ugh. What if I start… you know?"

Leo was wondering the same himself.


	8. New Feelings

Raph groaned to himself as he pushed the hovering cart along. The blood smell was really starting to get to him… They had left Mikey at home since he needed to heal a little more, helped along by Donnie's healing solutions, and Don stayed to watch over him and repair the hole if he could. Leonardo and Raphael were taking the Utrom dead-carriers to a junction in the sewers where they could deposit the bodies and they would sink into the river on their own.

But Raph was having a hard time controlling himself. He felt like jumping onto a corpse and sucking the remaining blood out of it, then on to the next, and the next, until he was full…

However, Raph had a sneaking suspicion that he wouldn't be sated by cooling blood and might try for warm, gushing blood. Since Leo was closest, he was in the real danger in that aspect.

Suddenly, Raph found himself picturing Leo's neck, two tiny holes gushing blood. Terrified, the hothead shook his head quickly and focused on the task at hand. Leo opened a grate in front of them, shot a look at Raph, and dumped the cart he had pushed into the river below, then backed up and gave Raph room to maneuver his into the tight space.

"How're you feeling?" Leo asked quietly, using a cloth to clean the blood from his cart. They were parked next to a clean section of runoff, deciding to take the time to clean their carriers so Raph wasn't too tempted to do something.

"Leo, promise not to freak out, okay?" Raph asked quietly. He _needed_ to tell someone, and Donnie was still mourning the loss of his beloved Battle Shell and Flying Shell.

"I promise, Raphie," Leo said seriously. He was using Raph's old nickname to try and convey how much Raph meant to him. "I won't."

"I… I think I'm starting to crave it." He didn't need to say what "it" was for they both knew.

"Oh." Leo thought over this for a minute, scrubbing his cart. "Okay."

"Okay?! Leo, if we go through another fight, I don't know if I'll be able to control it!" Raph protested.

"So don't," Leo shrugged. Raph stared at him. Leo hastened to explain. "Raph, your… gifts will help you, help all of us. Mine have saved me; yours might save the whole family. I still have trouble fighting without something like what you're going through. The need to kill, to defend Kalian… It's what's going to save me, at least. It keeps me sharp and ready for anything."

"Yeah, sure, but-"

"Raph," Leo interrupted, putting his hand on his brother's shoulder. "I will help you however I can. Right now, though, you need to learn how to loose this, for it might save your shell one day."

"Leo, this blood smell is going to get to me soon. Unless you want fang marks in your neck, I suggest you keep scrubbing over there. And then take a scented shower or something." Raph shivered.

"Raphael, I want to show you something," Leo said, standing up and pulling his protested brother with him. "I should have long ago." Leo reached back into his new metal shell and pulled out a cell phone, a real one. He flipped it open and called someone.

Raph watched as Leo dialed numbers and spoke words, each only a few syllables, before he finally smiled. He turned on the speaker phone and a person picked up on the other end.

"Leo? Dude, how've ya been? It's been, like, forever!" a young teenage girl's voice said happily. "What d'ya need this time?"

"To business as usual," Leo said warmly. "Beth, I want you to meet my bro, Raph!"

"Oh, so you've finally decided to tell him, have ya? Sneaky one. So, answer my question. Oh, wait, did you see the news report? A bunch of bull, I say. Mutant turtles? Yeah, right!"

"Uh huh. Pretty lame," Leo agreed.

"Well, put your brother on!" Raph looked at Leo, who smiled and nodded.

"Uh, hi," Raph offered. "I'm… Raph."

"I know that, silly!" the teenager said in a welcoming tone. "Well, if Leo's told you about me, I suppose you'll want some info, huh?"

"Uh, yeah," Raph supposed.

"Alright; here it is. I work in a hospital. I'm twenty, though I sound younger, I know. I'm a girl, in case you couldn't tell."

"Why do you know Leo?"

"We have a good agreement," she said vaguely. "Put him on for a minute."

Leo smiled at Raph and put the cell to his ear, turning off the speaker phone. He listened intently for a minute and then said, "Fine. We'll be by in five. Have it ready in the alley." He hung up and smiled smugly at Raphael, who was staring at him.

"Alright, why do you know her?"

"I saved her a while back, but she thinks I'm human with some social problems," Leo explained. "We'll dump the carts at the lair and head up to her place with the others."

"What is she giving you?"

"Trading," Leo corrected. "And she's in charge of the National Forest land up there. I go there sometimes, and she lends me stuff to take up. In return, I run errands for her up there, since she's busy at the hospital. She's given me the keys to a closed hotel for now; I think you'll like it. I've been there a lot."

"So… when you say "I'm heading out" and are gone for three days…"

"Yep. I'm there. Mikey's going to love it; there's a fishing pond and pool. It's a high-line resort kinda thing, and she rents it to clients. She gives it to me free, sometimes, if I do some stuff for her."

"What do you deliver?" Raph asked, pushing his cart along the passages.

"Notes, mostly. I also write down the numbers in herds of deer and elk and so on. I count the number of fish rising in an hour. Stuff to help her so she keeps her job there. It's a good trade. Just wait until you see the place."

"I can't wait," Raph murmured. "Is she trustable? Will she try to spy on us?"

"I've told her not to, and in any case, I've told her that I wear disguises to hide myself from society. She accepts that," Leo said. "Beth's really nice."

"Who's Beth?" Don asked, appearing in front of them. "Mikey's in the lair with Sensei. I came to find you guys; you've been gone for a while," he added when Leo looked at him warningly.

"Beth is Leo's girlfriend," Raph said.

"Is not!" Leo interjected. "She's got a boyfriend, Roger."

"How do you know that?" Raph teased. He saw the confused look on Don's face. "She's someone who's going to help us get outta here. Leo's got a deal where he gets a nice resort to himself in some National Forest land, and she gets her mail delivered and her notes taken."

"Oh."

"I know that because she told me," Leo answered calmly once Don had processed the information Raph had given him.

"Hm. Yeah, right. I bet you spy on her."

"Sometimes," Leo admitted. "But just to check that she doesn't have cameras out to catch me when I drop something off or pick something up."

"Wait a minute. How can you call her? I would know if you do, because I check the caller ID every time someone makes a call," Don said.

Raph balked. "Why the shell do you do that?"

"To make sure everyone's using them _properly_," Don explained, shooting Raphael a deadly glare. "I've been meaning to talk to you for a while."

"I've got my own cell phone," Leo said, saving Raph's shell from their purple-banded turtle. "I only use it once in a while, so I doubt anyone's traced it."

"Oh. Well, let's pack it up. I couldn't fix the hole well. It'll only hold about a human's weight, then it'll crash. Plus, that SWAT team probably had friends." Don turned and marched back into the lair.

Raph gazed fondly after the turtle. Don was so neat to him, how he was so calm and accepting.

_Well, maybe I'll have my own Kalian by the time everything settles down,_ Raph mused to himself. _Though I'd have to see if there's something for "Brainy Loved One" or something like that. I wonder if they have Internet up at Leo's vacation spot. I refuse to ask Mikey._


	9. Preparation 2

As soon as Leo had picked up the package and came back to the lair with it, his brothers and mentor were ready to go

As soon as Leo had picked up the package and came back to the lair with it, his brothers and mentor were ready to go. The fastest mode of transportation would be the Shell Cycle, which could take Raph and Donnie. Leo would fly himself, Mikey, and Master Splinter, and they'd be able to make it in two days.

However, Master Splinter wasn't happy with the idea of hanging onto his son's shell with Mikey up there as well, so Donnie offered to switch. However, Raph objected that Mikey and Donnie couldn't both sit on Leo's shell.

That was when Leo suggested something truly outrageous.

"How about we ask Casey for his old truck? I can still fly myself and Mikey, and then you three can be in the car."

"_That_ heap of junk?" Raph gasped.

"Sure. It runs, doesn't it?"

"Hardly," Don muttered. "Give me an hour with it and my tools and I'll see what I can do."

"Very well. Raph, you make the request. Mikey, you come with me. Don, get your stuff ready. Master Splinter, would you pack the food?" Leo asked, bowing slightly to their mentor.

"Certainly. And we will _not_ be eating junk food."

"Oh, wait, strike that. Beth said she just re-stocked the kitchens, so there's plenty to eat. We will need our weapons, though."

"Very well, then I shall pack those. And some tea, I think." Master Splinter moved slowly off, his age showing through quite blatantly. Don jogged towards his lab, the doors letting him faze through which still fascinated the scientist-turtle. Raph headed for the phone.

"Leo, what're we doing?" Mikey asked.

"We're getting something together," Leo answered cryptically.

"What?" Mike whined.

"Shush. You'll see soon enough." Leonardo stepped through a door and into his room. Pushing aside his futon with Mike still pestering him, Leo looked at the floor intently, then stepped back a pace and knelt.

He pushed on one of the wooden slats and a whole section of the floor moved away. Mikey gasped and moved forward to find a whole _stack_ of hoarded things.

"Just in case," Leo whispered conspiratorially. Inside were some tea boxes, a few blue and black books that looked like journals, and a couple dozen pieces of paper. Leo lifted one out and looked at it, nodded, and replaced the whole mess, covering it up again.

Then, he walked to the front of his doorway, staring up at the ceiling. From there, he took eighteen paces towards the dojo and stopped.

By now, Mikey's whining had attracted Raph, who said Casey had agreed to lending them the truck.

"What're you doing, bozo?" Raph asked Mike.

"I wanna know what Leo's doin'," Mikey said, pointing to their crouched brother. Raph looked at the floor beneath Leonardo but didn't detect anything.

However, Leo seemed excited. He stood up suddenly and marched off in an apparently-random direction. Like puppies, Raph and Mikey followed.

_What's with Aelnes now? _Raph wondered to himself. _Is he looking for something, or did Mikey get him high on sugar again?_

Mike stopped suddenly, gaping in surprise, and Raph grumbled as he stepped around his brother. He, too, stopped in his tracks and looked at what Leonardo was looking at… or really, sitting on.

It was one of Shredder's old Foot monstrosities, the ones that Raph loved so much.

"I'd forgotten about this one," Leo said as if to himself. He checked the controls. "Good. It's still working."

"Leo, where the shell did you get that?"

"I found it," Leo smiled. "Actually, I killed the soldier who was using it and hid it here. We could've used it in that battle."

Raph chuckled despite himself; he liked this new Leonardo. However, everyone knew _he_ drove the cool machines, except the chopper. So, without hesitation, Leo handed him the controls and stepped back with Mikey.

Raphael looked around the cockpit, orienting himself to using the huge black cyborg again. It's two main cannons were primed but had safeties on, and the arms below them were responding well. He could make it walk and move around, so he figured it was in good condition, despite being hidden.

_But where the shell did Leo hide this?_ Raph wondered before looking around and noticing that they had migrated into Leonardo's meditation room, past the carefully stacked pieces of equipment.

"I know it'll gain a lot of attention," Leo said to Raph suddenly, "but we'll need this baby if we're pitted against any other SWAT teams."

"Leo… I like the new you!" Raph declared, jumping down from the cockpit in the machine's "chest".

His eldest brother just shrugged and walked away, with Mikey trailing happily. Raph shook his head and went to find Donnie.

"Hey, Don, can I help ya?" Raph asked as the frantic turtle rushed around his lab. The truck was being delivered by Casey, who would push it into the elevator – which had miraculously survived (for sake of the plot!) – and send it down to them.

Raph was surprised when Don stopped, looked up, and nodded seriously.

"Yes. Get some of that special grease you like so much, a few dozen cloths, and some pain killers."

"Pain killers?" Raph asked, puzzled.

"My head is aching!"

"Oh, okay. You got it." Don downed a glass with the two Acetaminophen he was allowed. Raph held the cloths and grease as he waited for new orders.

"Thanks, Raph," Don sighed as he set down the glass. "Things are hectic now."

"You're telling me," Raph laughed.

"Yeah," Don agreed. "How's it going with the blood smell?"

"Not good. I almost attacked Leo while we were dumping the bodies," Raph confessed. Don glanced at him before standing up and heading to a cupboard. "What're you doing?"

"You know how I insisted we draw blood a few days ago, so I could sample it?" Don asked. Raph knew where this was going.

"No, Donnie. You do that and I won't be able to control myself," Raph said quickly.

"Raph, I'm going to bring them. Just in case. And if the urge _does_ get too much, at least you won't be biting us, right?"

"Peachy," Raph grumbled. "Thanks, Donnie," he whispered.

"You're welcome," Don assured him, resting a hand on Raph's arm. "And I won't tell them."

"Thanks again, but Leo knows. Just… Mikey might…"

"Tease you until you lose it?" Don suggested with a smile. "Yeah, I bet so."

"Don, the truck's here," Leo called from the main room. Raph grabbed Don's arm as he began passing.

"Don, I swear I didn't have anything to do with hiding it," Raph said hurriedly before jogging out the door. Don looked after him, shrugged, and went out into the main room.

When he came face-to-ankle with the Foot robot, he knew what Raph was talking about.

"Leo!" Don roared before heading to the truck. It was a major heap of junk. The rusty paint and creaky doors just marked it as old; the symbols glued to the side said it was _ancient_, at least to the eighteen-year-old turtles.

"Yeah?" a sheepish Leonardo asked as he came in, Mikey huddled under his wing, asleep.

"You hid a Foot robot?" Don hissed, staring at their leader while taking apart the engine deftly.

"I thought it might come in handy," Leo protested. Mike woke up silently and listened in, as did Raph from behind the Foot machine.

"Leonardo, they have homing signals on those things," Don explained patiently.

"Not after you tampered with it," Leo corrected. "This is the one that we had for a while, then I think someone took it out and got caught by the Foot and they took it back and then I found it again and killed the guy in it and brought it home and thought you might want to see it later but it was so big I had to hide it somewhere, so I hid it in here." Leonardo took a deep breath.

"I always wondered where it went," Don said wistfully. "That thing is filled with the technology to _build_ a flying copter!" He launched into a graphic lecture about what he could possibly do with such a thing at his disposal, interjecting here and there that Leo had hidden it wrongly, and Raph tried not to snigger as Leo got a lecture for once.

"Dude, you just got told!" Mikey squealed when Don looked like he was finished with his speech. The truck was as well, completely overhauled and ready to rumble.

"No kidding. I give Don a ten. Mikey?" Raph asked.

"Hm… Nice style… The tone was good, a little more demanding would have been a little better… The Leo-factor was okay, not great. Eye contact was a little off, but I think I can give you some break for that…"

"We get it, Mike. What's your decision?" Don asked carefully.

"Hm… Out of ten, I'd say a six. Wasn't as good as one of Leo's."

"WHAT?" Raph thundered, gaping in shock. "Mikey, _Leo _was just lectured. You wanna pass up a chance to tease him about it?"

"He's the one flying me," Mikey answered logically. "I don't wanna get flung into a cloud."

"Thanks, Mikey," Leo accepted hesitantly. "Will I be hearing about this later, though?"

"Maybe!" Mikey laughed and skipped off, his cheery mood a way of hiding his trepidation.

"Alright, we're ready to haul shell," Don said, cleaning his hands.

"Let's head out," Leo ordered, calling Mike back to him as Raph fetched Master Splinter.


	10. Arrival

Leo drove, seeing as no one else knew where they were going

They had vetoed Leo and Mikey flying, since they would be picked up by radar within the city limits and would make a very odd flying creature if anyone happened to look up. Plus, he was the only one who knew where the house was, and he didn't want to give Don the directions in case they got into trouble. So, Leo drove, seeing as no one else knew where they were going. He didn't stop, even when eight hours had gone by, until Mikey complained that he had to visit the little turtles room. Then, grudgingly, Leo pulled over in a dense clump of bushes and Mikey ran off, swiftly followed by Raph and Don.

"I can't believe this," Leo said when they came back. "It's been only eight hours since we left home."

"I drank a lotta water," Mikey squeaked, seeking comfort in Leo's wing even as the turtle drove. "Besides, you can't stay mad at me." He made his best "puppy-dog" eyes and Leo sighed happily.

"No, I can't," Leo allowed, his wing unfolding fully as he let Mikey snuggle into him for warmth and comfort. Don and Raph snickered behind him, and Mikey cast a glance over at his brothers with a smirk.

"Of course not," Mikey said happily. "You know why? My Kavara can't resist his Kalian's pout." He turned watery eyes on Leo, who sighed and sped up slightly in preparation to pass a large truck.

"And said "Kavara" had better obey the speed limit unless we want a cop on our tail," Donnie scolded.

Leo passed the truck anyway, saying, "Donnie, it's the freeway. How much trouble can we get into?"

"Huh. Good point," Raph said distractedly. He was fingering his bandana tail in a nervous way, and Leo looked directly at him by way of mirror, sending him a mental pulse that told his brother their leader was always there for him, if he needed help.

"By the way," Leo drawled a few minutes later, "we're almost there." Raph and Donnie moved to the windows, looking for the signs or such. Leo turned off at an almost-unmarked exit.

"Where are we going?" Don asked.

"National Forest," Leo said, not deigning to say more. "We'll be there in an hour; Beth got the keys to the one in the very interior. It's very nice and we have it for a whole month if we want"

"Still," Raph said, looking at the scenery out his window, "I've got a bad feeling about this."

"Aw, is Raphie scared?" Mikey teased, huddling into Leo's wing even as Raph turned to pummel him in spite of Leo's close proximity. "Poor wittle Waphie."

"I'm going to hurt you as soon as your guardian leaves," Raph promised quietly. However, he knew he wouldn't do it, since he might lose himself and bite his little brother.

"Ha! No you won't; you might bite me!"

Immediately, Mikey realized what he had said was wrong, and Raph and Leo stiffened simultaneously. Leo's wing slapped Mikey hard while Raph turned away and Donnie hugged him gently.

"Sorry," Mikey whispered, sounding truly heartbroken. Raph nodded acceptance and Master Splinter was silent, sitting quietly in the back of the truck.

Raph was silent, and Don just held onto him comfortingly. Leo hugged Mikey and whispered to him, telling him how hard it was to change, and how painful it could be. Mike listened carefully, wondering if Raph would take on a "Kalian" of his own as Leo had. Mikey thought Leo had chosen him because he acted so innocent, he was fun to be with and could lift anyone's spirit with a smile, and because Mikey was the total opposite of Leo, and opposites attract.

When they arrived, the mood had lightened a little more, and Mikey was smiling happily, though he treaded carefully around moody Raphael. Leo flung his wings up to block the view out the windshield and forced them to close their eyes tightly and pull their bandanas around to cover them just in case. Then he led his brothers out, while Master Splinter followed, keeping his eyes shut out of courtesy to Leo's immense pride at finding them a place to hide out for a while.

"Alright, welcome to our home for the next month," Leo crowed, pulling their bandanas around in the same instant.

"Whoa!" Don cried, looking at the huge manor. Raph cursed and was whacked by Leo's wing and Master Splinter's walking stick. Mikey gasped happily and pulled Leo to him absently, hugging his brother around the waist.

It stood four stories tall, and was about a thousand square feet on the base alone. The front porch was large and had a few two- or three-seat-er swings. The outside was carved mahogany, Brazilian hard wood, and other expensive materials. Gold flakes speckled over the doorway on the sign saying, "Oak Forest Manor".

Leo led them inside, putting his small bag on the bench in the large mud room. He flipped some switches, punched a few buttons, and opened the door into the main room. An elegant flourish to bow his brothers into the room, and Leo was smiling brightly as his brothers looked around with amazement.

"Holy-"

"Raph!" Leo snapped humorously. "Come on, no cussing. Let's unpack the truck." Don stood for a moment, staring at the ornate decorations around them. The walls were brilliantly polished woods blending into a beautiful masterpiece that made it seem as though they were outside, and windows that looked directly into the yawning patch of forest beyond them. There were doors leading to other rooms, and a grand staircase like in the movies.

Soon, their stuff was in the living room, and Raph was looking anxiously for a room. Leo showed them around, made sure the hot tub was good and warm for relaxing, and doled out rooms. He and Mikey slept in the suite meant for a pair of friends, while Raph and Donnie took over the smaller one. Leo had tried to insist they take the larger one, but Don would have none of such "nonsense".

Raph was indisposed to care; he just dumped his stuff in a room and went to bed, feeling tired and cranky. Don took his temperature and pulse while he was out, and was a little worried. His temperature was as high as Leo with warm-blooded features, which meant that the hothead had a fever.

"Leo, why don't you talk to him a bit?" Don suggested when he and Leo passed in the hall. "He's scared of this; he wants to know more about the changes, what they're like."

"I will, I promise. But right now, he needs your calm support, Donnie. He needs someone to help him control that temper."

"Is that why you chose Mikey? You needed someone to help you accept and love these changes?" Don asked, gesturing towards Leo's wings.

"I guess. Remember, I got the instincts of a race that takes protecting its young very, very seriously. And… Mike's such a youngster at heart… Hey, if Raph does look to you like I do to Mikey, talk to Kalian for advice. He's helped me a whole bunch."

"I will, Leo, thanks." Don went off to search for the orange-banded turtle as Leo knocked on the door to Raph's room.

"Raph?" Leo asked, opening the door a crack. Ever since he'd stepped in unannounced and nearly ended up with a tossed Sai in his arm, Leo had learned to knock. Of course, since he was only seven at the time, he'd learned early, which was only for the better.

"Ugh…" Raph groaned from inside. Leo came in and found Raph stretched out on his plastron, his hands clenching his sheets painfully.

"Raph, you okay?" Leo asked, sitting gently on the bed next to him and resting a calm hand on his shell.

"Peachy," the hurting turtle said, true to form. "A little under the weather."

"Yeah, you're hurting badly and you don't want anyone to know," Leo interpreted. "What's it feel like?"

"Like something's trying to break free of my shell," Raph moaned, burying his face in the pillow. "Ow!"

"Hm. That's what it felt like when my wings grew in. I wonder if you're growing your own pair."

"Yours came in so less painlessly," Raph complained. "And quickly."

"Yeah, well mine was more of a mind matter. Your's is physical," Leo surmised, rubbing Raph's shell comfortingly. "I'll get Donnie to give you some pain killers."

Leo was about to get up when Raph's shell cracked and Raph let out a small yelp of pain. He cursed and clenched his fists as Leo sat down by him again.

Don came in and found Leo at a loss, but not willing to leave Raphael's side to get Donnie. The braniac was immediately concerned and took Leo's place as the blue-wearing turtle stepped out to seek Mikey and keep him from raiding the fridge.

"Raph, what's hurting?" Don asked, carefully touching the cracks in his hero's shell.

"Oooh… Right where you're touching," Raph gasped, kicking out slightly. "Leo thinks I'm growing a pair of wings."

"Possible, since this is in the same place as his. However, I don't see anything, and Leo's came in rather quickly. I'll give you a shot of morphine and let you sleep a bit. Morphine's the best thing right now," Don said when Raph started to argue.

"Wow." Mikey whistled as he peeked into Raph's bedroom a few hours later. The small turtle looked up at his Kavara and smiled. "Are ya jealous?"

"What? Mikey, no," Leo insisted. He watched Raph sleep, the little buds of wings poking through his shell. Don was on the bed next to him, sleeping fitfully.

"Come on. It's your bed time, Kalian," Leo teased, pulling Mike away.

"Yes, Kavara," Mikey answered sarcastically, wrapping himself in Leo's wing. "Sleepy…" he pretended to fall asleep and fell backward into his brother's wing, hoping to get a free ride into the room.

"Hmph. Freeloader," Leo grumbled happily, adjusting his wing angle to form a "seat" for Mikey.

"Murph," Mikey said in retaliation.


	11. The Next Morning

The next morning when Raph woke up, he was hurting still and tired

The next morning when Raph woke up, he was hurting still and tired. Groaning, he tried to sit up, only to have an arm pin him back down forcefully.

"Lie down, idiot," Donnie admonished. "Shesh." He was standing over Raph, holding something beyond Raph's vision.

"Whatcha got?" Raph asked carefully, relaxing again.

"Grinder. I'm grinding down your shell like I did for Leo."

"So… They are wings?"

"Definitely," Donnie sighed, turning on the little grinder and setting to work again. Raph felt like his shell was buzzing.

"Why aren't they coming in like Leo's?" Raph asked, wincing as a new pain wave washed over him when Donnie brushed the tender skin under his shell.

"You mean painlessly and quickly?" Don asked, blowing the ground bits of shell off of Raph. "Probably because he was invaded mentally, and you were bitten physically. His body changed to match his mind. Your body is changing to match the vampire DNA in your blood. Scientifically, both of you are marvels and anomalies, but yours can be measured. Leo's can't; he might change even more, grow talons or something."

"I hope not," Raph grouched, scratching his arm lazily. "You know what he'd be like with claws. He'd not need his katanas to kick butt."

"Well, don't look now, but he doesn't," Donnie chuckled, turning the grinder off and setting it down gently before helping Raph sit up carefully. "How do you feel now?"

"Better, but still like shell," Raph said, wincing as his wings twitched. "I can't control these things yet. Do you know how big they'll be?"

Don sighed and washed his hands, then dried them before answering. "No, but I know they will come in painfully. Very, very painfully. You're drugged with Aspirin right now, and you still feel badly. I don't want you on morphine until they start growing again, since you could easily get addicted."

"Ugh," Raph grunted, standing cautiously. "Why do you think I've been bitten by a vampire? Remember what Leo said – or Darkwing, I guess – about the Inhabitors? Could that human who bit me have had the vampire? If so, will you be hit by lightning and turned into a sorcerer or something?"

"That's a lot of questions, coming from you, Raph," Don smiled. "But to answer them… I think you've been bitten by a vampire because you were just there. Fate, bad luck, whatever, it just happened to be that you were at that place at that time. Maybe Darkwing was telling the truth, but not all of it. Maybe we'll all have accidents happen to mutate us further. Maybe I _will_ be a sorcerer. Maybe Leo will be bitten by a werewolf and be able to shape shift. Maybe Mikey will get hit with a magician and be able to cause mischief from afar. Point is, I really don't know." Don sighed and put his hand on Raph's shoulder. "What I do know is that we're here for you. If they do get big enough to fly with, Leo has promised to help you try them out."

"What if they aren't? Can ya cut 'em off?"

Don hesitated but finally answered. "No. They're fused directly to your collar and shoulder bones. Even if I tried, I'd probably cause you to lose feeling and movement in both arms and one at the least. It'd be bloody and painful, not to mention they might just grow back again. Leo's are a whole new bone, which is why he can fly with the odd arrangement that he has. They rotate. By the way your's are growing in, they'll be like a bat's."

"Figures."

Don nodded and then opened the door. "Hungry?"

"Like shell." Raph followed his brother through the mansion since Don seemed to know where he was going. When they got to the dining room, they found Mikey sitting at the table, eating a plate filled with bacon.

"Hey, guys!" he cried happily.

"Ah, good morning, my sons," Master Splinter said, coming into the room. "Raphael, how are you feeling?"

"Better," Raph answered courteously, bowing to his sensei. "Thank you. How are you this morning?"

"I am well, my son. Please, sit and eat. Michelangelo, where is Leonardo?"

"He's outside," Mikey said, thankfully swallowing before he spoke. "Said something about a pond."

"Hm. Very well. We will miss morning training, my sons, as it seems two of you are out of commission for one reason or another." Master Splinter's tail twitched as Raph protested.

"Aw, Sensei. We're gonna need our skills if we wanna beat the crap outta anyone who comes up here!"

"Language, Raphael," the rat scolded. "And one missed practice will not hurt you. If you are desperate, Leonardo has my permission to run a training session lasting no more than three hours."

"Sensei!" Mikey whined. "He always makes us practice if you say stuff like that." He got up and took his dishes to the kitchen through a flapping door. Soon he came out with two plates of bacon and eggs for Raph and Don, and a cup of tea balanced precariously on his head for Master Splinter. His father figure accepted it graciously and went back to his room, leaning on his cane.

"Poor Sensei," Don said. "He's not young anymore."

"I heard that," their aged Master's voice drifted back to them. Raph chuckled and sat down to eat as Don stood and ate, which was how he was most comfortable.

"So, Mikey, did Winged One say anything about what we'll do today?" Raph asked.

"Not really. He just said that he'll take us to a little pond as soon as he's sure we're alone up here. He'll be back in a few minutes, I think."

"Okay. What do you think of this place?" Don asked wonderingly. "Beautiful, eh?"

"Sure," Mikey said. "If you like cleaning a whole mansion. I wish we had servants to do it!"

"Mikey, they'd be human."

"I know! But still… It'd be nice."

"Why do you say that?" Raph growled, eating his eggs.

"Because he somehow managed to spill oil all over himself and the wood floors downstairs," Leo said, walking in. He seemed kind of tired but otherwise okay as he accepted a cup of tea from Mikey.

"You rigged that bottle!" Mikey whined, pouting. "You did something to it!"

Don and Raph looked back and forth between the two, wondering what was going on, and what Leo's sly look meant.

"Well, if you say so," Leo accepted, stepping back from Mikey who tried to sit on his wing in punishment. "I'm gonna go take a shower. Enjoy your breakfast!"

Raph spit his eggs out suspiciously as soon as Leo was out of the room.

"What'd he do?" Raph wondered out loud, sniffing at the eggs.

"I dunno," Mikey said, though his voice was a trifle high. "I ate the same bacon. I cooked it, for crying out loud! He couldn't have touched it."

Don poked at his bacon and put his plate down. "Do you want to take the chance?"

"Hey, I ate a whole plate of bacon. He can't have done anything, or you'd know about it by now!" Mikey insisted. "'Cause it would've already happened to me."

"Unless he just put something in it that affects you slowly."

"Plausible," Don muttered, looking at his plate viciously. "Mikey, did _you_ do anything to our breakfast?"

"No," Mike answered. Raph looked at him, and Mikey's eyes met his. With a grunt, Raph nodded.

"He's not lying. Don, do you have anything to test this bacon with?"

"Yeah, but just barely. Anything subtle I might not be able to detect."

"Okay. I just wanna know if Winged One is playin' with us."

"Alright. Bring some of the bacon without touching it and follow me."

Donnie and Mikey proceeded to the door as Raph speared a few pieces of the "meat" with his Sai. He didn't mind eating bacon, since it was turkey and he could always crack a joke about it being Mikey's relative.

Don opened the door as Raph joined the group.

Before they knew it, they were covered in purple goop…. Again.

"Leo!" Raph roared.


	12. Revenge is Sweet

"Leo

"Leo!" Donnie and Mikey gasped, wiping the purple ooze from their eyes. Raph was starting up the stairs, and they raced to catch up with the red-banded turtle.

"What?" a voice asked as Leo's door opened. He came out and glared at them. "Mikey, did you get caught in your own trap again? I warned you about putting that purple goo on the wire. You'd forget it. Obviously, I was right. Go take a shower and then we're heading for the pond."

Leo tried to get back into his room, but Raph reached forward as fast as a cobra strikes and clamped a hand on Leo's wing.

"Hardy har har, Leo." Raph pulled his brother back, though it was a strain to move the gigantic turtle. "Own up, bro. You did it."

"I refuse to," Leo said, breaking Raph's hold with a shrug. "Since I didn't do it!"

"Right. The last time this stuff showed up, you were the culprit," Don accused. He imposed himself between Leo and the door, backed by Mikey and Raph. Their leader looked down at them, obviously liking that they had to look _up_ at him to meet his eyes.

"So Mikey stole my act," Leonardo said, waving it off like a bothersome fly. "What's the big deal?"

"Guys…" Raph grinned, grabbing Leo's left arm. Don moved forward and latched onto Leo's right arm before the giant could retaliate. Mikey laughed and stepped forward.

"You should learn, Kavara," he said. "If you prank someone, you _run away._" He nodded to Raph and Don, who were still clinging to Leo's arm. "I found a weakness, by the way."

Raph looked at Mike with a laugh in his eyes. Mikey, the victim, was now about to become the torturer.

"Raph, can you hold him still for a minute?" Mikey asked, stepping back again. "Don, you and I need to get something from the truck."

"Why us two?" Don asked as he walked out with Mikey.

Mike rummaged through the debris still in the truck, left there since they were so tired last night and not willing to bring anything unessential into the house.

"Leo's ticklish," Mike explained. "But he's also got some tender spots. Pressure points, you might say. Except these pressure points are… different. Aha!" Mikey cried, pulling out a pair of long metal rods. "He's really sensitive to the sound these make. They don't hurt him, they drive him nuts!"

"Mikey… you are a genius," Don breathed, taking a metal rod and banging it against the truck. It produced an ugly sound. "Mikey, is there a room that is like a theatre?"

"Yeah… And the sound would bounce off the walls, echoing for Leo longer!" Mikey said, obviously pleased. "But he'd just cover his ears."

"I found a tank, like a fish tank, you know? It's got a lid. Leo can breathe under water. And this sound should travel through enough for him to hear it with his better hearing."

"Don… you're ruthless."

"I'm practical. If Leo thinks he can prank us, we need to teach him he can't. We already deal with you."

Mikey laughed and ran back into the house, still leaving purple footprints. Don followed just as quickly, and came up an angry Leo tied to the bed by a vengeful Raphael.

"He tried to escape," Raph said. "I pushed a few pressure points and he just fell asleep. So I thought, "Well, I can't just leave him here. I might as well get him to bed." Then he started thrashing, so I tied him down." Raph sounded like he was trying to suppress laughter.

"Liar," Leo accused. "Let me up!"

"Raph, you and I have a chore. Leave Mikey here to watch over Leo," Don instructed. When Raph was about to argue, Don shot him a look that said, "We've got a plan. Just play along."

Mikey handed his metal rod to Raph but hid it from Leo's view. Raphael followed his example and trudged after Donatello.

"Where're we goin'?" Raph asked.

"Leo has gills and can breathe under water. These rods create a sound that will drive him nuts for a while. Combine the two…"

"And you get a turtle who learns to leave the tricks to Mikey," Raph finished when Don's voice trailed off laughingly.

"Yep. In here."

They walked into a blue-walled room that had a large glass tank in it, and similar ones around the sides. They were empty, but Don pressed a button on the console at the base of the large one in the middle of the round chamber and it started filling with water. Don tied his rod with some string from his belt to the ceiling, and then tied Raph's next to it.

"We'll just bang 'em together and leave it for a while," Raph realized as Don slapped one of the rods and sent it crashing into the other, creating a sound that was like a badly-tuned xylophone.

"Yep. Let's collect our brothers."

They trooped back to find Leo being tickled mercilessly by Mikey, who was also sitting in his wing to hold it down while the other was flapping helplessly. Raph dodged it and told Mikey to stop.

"Aw! I nearly had him at his UTL."

"UTL?" Don asked.

"Ultimate Tickle Level," Mikey said in way of answer, jumping out of the way of Leo's punishing wing. "It's when Leo starts losing it."

"Hm. We've set it up. Help me get him there."

"No problem," Mikey said, punching Leo's wing out of his way gently. He didn't want to seriously hurt the one who protected him, after all.

"Ungrateful Kalian," Leo muttered. "You are _so_ sleeping alone tonight! My wings and I can do without _you_."

"Aw, don't be like that. Remember when I pranked you?" Mikey asked, holding Leo's arms down over his chest as Raph and Don untied their brother. "You were out for blood."

Leo didn't deign to respond, instead trying to break free when Raph untied his foot. However, Donnie and Raphael threw him down with the help of Mikey hanging onto his wings before he could get out the door.

"Bad Kavara," Mikey scolded, pushing Leo's wings closed forcefully and then sitting on them until Don had tied them together.

They had soon tied Leo up like a kill, his hands and ankles bound. Given a few minutes, he'd be able to tear out of them, but Don applied some clever pressure to a few spots on Leo's shoulders and knees and the giant couldn't get his muscles to obey him.

"Leo's good to be moved," Donnie announced evilly. "Let's get him to the room and leave him there for a while."

"You're ruthless," Mikey repeated, grabbing Leo's shell as Don and Raph grabbed his arms and legs. He supported Leonardo's torso – not an easy task – as they carried him to the room, led by Raph.

Leo couldn't move, so they were safe. When they got there, though, he started squirming. Laughingly, Don applied pressure to a tendon and Leo hissed in pain, quieting.

"Alright. How're we supposed to get him in there?" Raph asked. Everyone froze. They hadn't thought about that.

"Aw, what's the matter? Poor Don didn't think ahead? Raph's not strong enough?" Leo teased, squirming again.

"Ya know what, smart aleck?" Raph asked, looking over his shoulder into Leo's face. "I might just have to dump you in the pond outside. If you don't help us get you in there."

Leo looked like he was actually considering it. Don knew there wasn't much of a choice; the pond outside would be cold enough to drive him into hibernation. Then Don kicked himself. Leonardo was warm-blooded, so he'd survive easily and be able to pull them in instead, and probably send Raph into a quick doze. Don and Mikey might be able to get out quickly, but with Raph being so thin-skinned…

Mikey squeaked a little as Leo's tail twitched, realizing they hadn't tied it down. Leonardo seemed to realize it at that time as well, and he grinned.

"How 'bout you take a dip?" Leo asked, smacking Mike's plastron with his tail. Raph cursed and dropped Leo's hands, his body soon following as Don jumped back as well. Growling slightly in jest, the winged turtle leapt to his feet and worked on the ties.


	13. A Test

"Mikey, hit those things

"Mikey, hit those things!" Don cried. The youngest turtle reached up, grabbed one of them, and swung it into the other with all his might. It created such a loud sound that Raph clapped his hands over his ear holes, Mikey cringed, and Donnie winced. Leo, however, stood stock still for a moment before groaning and covering his ears as well, sinking down to his knees slowly.

"Ha!" Donnie exclaimed. "Not so tough after all, eh, Leo?"

"Make it stop!" Leo moaned, rocking gently back and forth. Mike and Raph laughed, however.

"Get in that tub," Raph ordered. "The sound waves don't carry so well through the water."

Leonardo practically _flew_ into the tank, and when the top shut on him, Donnie saw the gills on his neck pronounce themselves as the turtle calmed down slightly.

"I can't believe you guys!" he mouthed to them, staring heatedly at the vibrating rods. "You don't know what those can and will do to me!"

"They make you go nuts," Mikey answered, lounging on the side of the tank. Leonardo opened his wings underwater as wide as they would go, but they could only extend to about ten feet with the size of the cylinder he was held in.

"No!" Leo shouted, and they heard it barely. Raph snickered and sat down near the wall, watching his brother. Don sat next to him, and Mike left the room, a little smile on his beak.

"So, how're you feeling now?" Donnie asked, eyes on their water-covered brother.

"Good, actually. Leo took my mind off my pain."

_Just wait until I get out of here,_ the turtle in the tank mouthed. _You'll regret this when I take over training tomorrow!_

"You're taking over training tomorrow?" Don asked carefully. "Why didn't Master Splinter tell us?"

"It was a test," Master Splinter said, walking into the room. Don and Raph leapt to their feet. "Michelangelo and Leonardo set up a trap for you all. I was wondering what has become of your sibling relationships, and now I have seen the results."

Raph fidgeted. "Verdict?" Don asked quietly, wishing he hadn't taken such drastic measures with his brother.

"Donatello, you are the support system of this family, the one who keeps your brothers from hurting themselves out of impulse. Raphael, you are the defenses on the edge of the castle, lurking in the shadows and ready to strike at anything that moves. Michelangelo-" Mikey walked in with a sheepish expression on his face- "you are the source of light, the beacon that tells us we are home. Leonardo-" he turned to the tank with a wry smile- "you are the obvious guardian at the gates, the one whose sword knows no bounds in protection."

"Master Splinter," Mikey said, "can I let Leo out now?"

"Certainly, my son," the rat allowed. Mikey pushed a couple of buttons and the tank's top opened. Leo pulled himself out and jumped to the ground, shaking them all in their stead.

"Thank you, Mikey. Master Splinter, please tell us the results of this exercise, if you are inclined to share." Leo bowed to his father.

"I am, Leonardo. The results were this: You are brothers." With that, Master Splinter turned tail and walked out of the room.

"What?" Raph asked, looking around but carefully at the soaked turtle who was glaring at him.

"You went overboard," Leo accused. "Come on. Metal rods making sounds, dumping me into a tank?"

"Hey, Kavara, Master Splinter _told_ me to suggest something pretty odd," Mikey consoled, ducking Leo's wet wing as it tried to slap him. "Besides, it was fun."

"I suppose so," Leonardo sighed. "But still… you are banished to the floor for tonight!"

"Kavara!" Mikey protested in a whining voice.

"Don't you whine at me, Kalian," Leo warned, staring down his beak at his little brother. "You deserve it. You know how much my hearing has improved, and yet you brought along and have used those infernal metal rods!"

"Leo, come on, he was just doing what Master Splinter told him to," Don said. "He was making sure this "test" was good enough to be realistic."

"Yeah!" Mikey agreed, shooting Donnie a thankful look. "Master Splinter said to make it funny!"

"No, he told you to blame it on me and goad Raph and Don into rebellion. _Not_ to torture me." However, everyone could tell that Leo's strong shell was cracking.

"Hey! I didn't torture you. Besides, I was the one who let you out!"

"Well… There is that, I suppose." Leo thought hard, and Mikey broke his resolve as he snuggled into Leo's still-wet wing and looked up at him with big eyes. "Oh, okay! You talk me into it. You can sleep with me tonight."

"Yay!" Mikey cried, dancing in place happily. Don and Raph smiled at each other, knowing that Leo and Mikey shared a very deep connection.

"What did Master Splinter mean about "you are brothers"?" Donnie asked when Mike had calmed down with help of Raph's threatening insults.

"He said it to mean many things," Leo interpreted easily. "We are brothers. Brothers stick to each other through thick and thin, but they also tend to gang up on one if they are in the wrong. Brothers love each other, but there are rivalries for the attention of the eldest often. The youngest is often thought of as innocent and the one who must be protected. The smartest is the one who is thought of as a bore, as someone who likes the company of chemicals more than that of their friends and family. The hothead is the one who is portrayed as a rebel, seemingly wanting to spend his time in the shadows. And the eldest is seen as a perfect role-model, someone who can't mess up or show weakness. In all, we are a family that makes it seem as though we should not get along, and yet we do."

"Ya wanna breathe now, or should I do CPR?" Raph teased when Leo stopped talking.

"Raph." Leo shot him a look that said, "Couldn't you just accept my words this one time?"

"Okay, Leo, if that is what Master Splinter meant, why'd he do this test now?"

"I have changed," Leo explained. "I have chosen a Kalian. You are changing, and have taken Donnie as your savior as I took Mikey as mine."

"Leo, speaking of changing, can we talk for a moment?" Raph asked, glancing at Mikey and Don. "Alone?"

"Sure," Leo said. "Mikey, Don, could you guys get some lunch on. After you take a shower, maybe."

Mikey left with a laugh and Don rested a reassuring hand on Raph's arm before following the youngest. When they were alone, Raph spoke.

"Leo… When your wings grew in, it didn't hurt as much as mine are. I don't know if that means I just got unlucky or if it means something more like it is hurting because it is a big sacrifice, to lose part of my shell's protection. The point is…" Raph stopped talking, trying to say the words he had never said before.

"You're scared," Leo offered, putting his hand on Raph's shoulder. "It's fine to be scared, Raph. I was, too, when I changed. I'm still scared… What if Bishop finds us? What if you and I get killed by these changes? I can only die for one of you."

"Leo, if my wings are big enough, would you teach me to fly?" Raph asked sheepishly.

"I'd love to, bro," Leonardo smiled warmly, fanning his wings a little. Raph's twitched painfully. "Let me give you a piece of advice; trust Donnie. If I didn't trust Mikey with anything I told him, I would never be where I am today."

"I will, brother," Raph answered confidently. "Thank you."

"Anytime, Raph. I'm here for you, always and forever," Leo promised, clapping Raphael on the shoulder and walking away with a grin.

Raph watched him for a moment before running after Don.

"Don," he said when he found his brother, "can I talk to ya?"

"Sure," Don answered, leaving Mikey to make lunch by himself and following Raph out the door. Above, Leo was sitting on the roof. He waved and continued his thoughtful meditation.

"What is it?" Donnie asked them when they had found a nice little clearing to sit in, small enough that it seemed enclosed and like a sanctuary.

"Donnie, we need to talk."


	14. Talk and Laughter

Don shifted slightly in surprise

Don shifted slightly in surprise. Raph _never_ talked to _anyone_ about his feelings, except maybe Leo and Master Splinter. Donnie knew a lot about Raph just b observing, but this went against all of his morals and beliefs!

"About what?" Don asked, trying to let Raph take control. He knew that Raphael liked to have control, liked to set the pace. In battle, it was hard and fast. In speaking, he liked to take it slow and steady. An interesting phenomenon, to Donnie.

"You know how Leo has Mikey as his… his "Kalian"?" Raph asked, almost timidly. Don had an idea of where this was going.

"Yes. Mikey has been very good to and for Leo."

"Yeah," Raph sighed. "Don, Leo and I talked, and he told me that I should choose a "savior" too."

"I would be happy to help you in any way," Don promised, a little puzzled by the reasoning behind Raph choosing Donnie. "Mikey has helped Leonardo a lot; maybe I can help you in such a way."

Raph breathed out, as if relieved. _What? Did he think I would refuse?_ Don wondered to himself.

"Donnie, he said I had to be truthful with you if you will help me through this. So here's the truth; I'm scared." Raph pulled himself up when he said that, as if daring Don to laugh.

"I know," Don sighed. "I can tell, Raphie. Maybe that's why you've chosen me."

They stared at each other for a moment before breaking down in hysterics, leaning on each other for support.

"Well, we certainly sounded like something Master Splinter would watch in his soap operas," Don laughed, taking a break in between words to giggle more. Raph found himself loving Donnie's high, stuttering laugh.

"Yeah," he agreed with a deep voice, another victim of too much laughter.

"So… Raph, I don't know _how_ to be a Kalian!" Don chuckled.

"You aren't a Kalian, Donnie," Raph said. "You're my special one, not a dragonet. Leo'd probably take you, too, if you were."

"Alright, alright," Don laughed. "Possessive, are we?"

"You know it," Raph growled with a friendly tone. "You're mine, and I don't share so well."

"Don't I know it," Don grunted as Raph hugged him, hard, to show his point. "Oof. Alright, Mighty Mac, let's get back to the house. I'm starving."

"Same here. Then I think I'll take a nap; keep O Winged One from trying to convince me that I need to take it easy."

"Wouldn't that _be_ taking it easy?" Don asked, standing up and lending Raph a hand. "Well, at least I'm not dwarfed by you like Mike is by Leo."

"No kidding. Shell, I'm glad he won't grow anymore," Raph grumbled. "At least he can still fit in the lair."

"If we have one," Don agreed sadly.

Raph gave him a big hug and held onto his shoulder as they headed back towards the manor. "I'm sorry," he whispered to Don, nuzzling foreheads. Don's life work was back in the lair, since they couldn't fit it all in the truck. Well, at least they knew that it wasn't touched, since Don had activated the defenses for his lab specially, which would fry anything that came within ten feet of the room. _I wonder how the humans found out about that,_ Raphael wondered gleefully. _I hope they got what's coming to them._

"Hey, guys!" Mikey greeted them when they wandered into the house. "I've got names for you all picked out!"

"W-What?" Raph stuttered, picking up about half of the words Mikey had said in half a breath.

"So, "La" is night, right?" Mikey didn't even pause, so excited was he. "And Raph is gonna be something like a-"

"Mikey!" Leo's voice called out, and he stomped into the room in mock anger. The chandelier above shook slightly and Leo cast a glance at it with a snort. Something told Raph that he was not in the best mood. "Sorry, guys. Kalian is a little too hyper about the idea of you two bonding like we have." He shot Mike a dark look. "I'll take him out of your hair for now. Lunch is in the kitchen. We've eaten."

"Thanks, Leo," Raph said, ushering Don past the rambunctious turtle while Leo covered his mouth with his tail so Mike couldn't continue ranting about Elvin names.

"Why I let you onto the computer is a mystery to me," he grumbled, picking Mikey up like a bride and carrying him out the door.

"Ah ah ah, Leo. You let me on because I'm you Kalian."

"Feh." Leo put him down and waved towards Raph, who was staring out the window in the dining room. Raphael twitched his hand back, and Leo pointing to the forest. The watching turtle nodded and turned back inside.

"Come on, little one," Leo laughed. "We're running some energy offa you." Mikey yelped and ran for the forest, Leonardo hot in pursuit.

Don and Raph were eating in a comfortable silence, enjoying the noodles Mikey had cooked. By the smell of burnt toast in the room, they knew that Leo had tried to help.

Raph glanced out the window once and watched as Leo came charging back into the clearing, chased by a muddy Mikey. Both seemed to be laughing, and the usually-uptight leader looked like he hadn't a care in the world, except for the little turtle running after him.

Chuckling, he turned back to his breakfast in time to see Don staring at him before hurriedly averting his eyes.

"What?" Raph asked lazily, bringing a spoonful of food to his mouth and chomping it thoroughly.

"Just… Leo's new self… It's incredible. He's gone through some tough times, but Mikey's helped him get so much more… More…"

"More like a turtle and less like a stick in the mud?" Raph suggested lightheartedly. "Yeah, I suppose so. Why does this bother you?"

"It's just that… What if I can't be such a great…Kalian or whatever? What if we mess up? What if I can't help you emotionally and just end up hurting you more?" Don asked them both, fidgeting with his fork. Raph reached across the table to grab his brother's chin and lift his brown eyes to meet his bright chocolate ones.

"You won't hurt me, bro," he said with an air of finality. "You are going to be a great Kalian, and I will also be there for you always, if you need me. It's just that… Right now, I need help. I'm scared, and only when _you're_ around do I calm down and think, _It's okay, Donnie thinks_ such and such. You can explain what's going on. I need that more than the intoxicating energy of Mikey."

"You're picking up a bigger vocabulary," Don laughed. "You don't usually say, "intoxicating"."

Raph colored and dropped Don's chin, rubbing his brow with his hand. "Boy, I might start talkin' like ya!"

"We can only hope it'll get rid of your accent," Donnie teased.

"Fat chance," Raph snorted. "I'm Brooklyn by upbringing, accented by nature!"

"Whatever!" Mikey called out as he ran passed, tracking mud. Behind him, a very _wet_ Leonardo gave chase, but halted at the door and sighed with exasperation as he walked in to join "civilized company".

"That boy will be the end of me one day," he grumped lightly, flicking water from his wings. He suddenly looked like he was going to sneeze, but instead, Leonardo shook himself down, and water sprayed all _over_ the two brothers still sitting at the table.

"Hey!" Don protested as Raph cursed. "I already took a shower, Leo."

"Sorry," Leo apologized, but not very convincingly.

"Not yet you're not," Raph growled. He and Don jumped up and at Leonardo, whose wings were still open so he couldn't move too quickly. They pinned him to the floor together, tickling the hapless turtle into submission.

"Now _that's_ teamwork," Raph acknowledged, lending Donnie a hand to his feet. Leo groaned from losing so much air while laughing, wincing as he breathed in carefully. A quick jump, though, and he was back on his feet.

"Round two?" Don suggested once Leonardo had caught his breath. The once-winded turtle looked up in alarm as Raph smiled at Donnie, his white teeth glinting with the fanged points.

"Why not?"

Leo swore – like, "Oh, dear" (what'd you think he would say?) – and launched himself out the door, through the hall, and into the outside with the two vengeful turtles after him.

No one saw Master Splinter watching the four – Michelangelo had joined them and was protecting Leonardo. The aged rat was sitting in the sun on the second floor balcony and listened as Michelangelo's shriek and Leonardo's cry floated up to him, signaling that Raphael and Donatello had caught up to their brothers and were probably tickling his eldest son and tying his helped to a tree to leave him there until dark while they tickled Leonardo.

"Ah, my sons, you are going to profit from this adventure, once we have reached the end of its road," Sensei mused to himself, looking into the clear sky.


	15. Remembering

"Say it, Leo

"Say it, Leo!" Raph ordered playfully. "Say, "Raph and Donnie are my masters forever and always". Come on!"

"Never!" Leo cried just as dramatically and then gasped as Raphael tickled him mercilessly. The red-banded turtle hit his sweet spots with an accuracy derived of years of such "torture" play.

Don was pinning Mikey under him while the Kalian was trying to get to his Kavara. Once he had been able to escape, but Don had swiftly cut him down again and he was now staked down like a hyper animal that needed to cool down, and Donnie was sitting on him to ensure that he didn't escape.

"Leo, I mean it!" Raph growled, pushing harder on Leo's hands with his knees. Currently he was straddling his brother's cold metal plastron, and Leonardo was so out of breath that he couldn't do more than flap his wings a little.

"Never!" the blue-wearing leader shouted again, and Raph sighed angrily.

"Donnie, we're getting no where with this. Let's tie him to the tree for a while," Raph suggested, eyeing Mikey. "I dunno; maybe we can even put Mikey out for a while. It's supposed to rain tonight, I believe."

"I like it," Don declared, jumping up and taking some rope from his belt. He'd used quite a bit binding Mikey to a few trees, and there wasn't enough to tie Leo's large body up completely. He'd stopped his growth spurt but was on the edge of another. So far, he was about seven feet tall and weighed four hundred pounds. "I'll be right back, Raph. I need more rope. And maybe some tranquilizer while we're at it. See how fast Leo's metabolism is, you know." The brainiac winked and walked away into the house.

Raph stared fondly after him but snapped his head around when Leo bucked beneath him again.

"Ugh… You smell like wet turtle," Leo complained.

"You smell like wet turtle, too, Leo," Raph shot back. "You got yourself into this mess by getting me 'n' Donnie wet."

"Speaking of which, how's it going with him?" Leo asked, settling down beneath Raph's expert pin. Raphael wasn't fooled; he pushed down on Leonardo harder, making sure he didn't present an opening to his witty brother.

"Okay," Raph answered. "I don't get it, Leo. We're exact opposites, like you and Mikey. And yet… I need him."

"I know," Leo answered quietly so Mike couldn't hear. "I don't understand either, but that's how it is, I suppose. Kalian just gives me that smile and I know we'll get through everything, as we always do."

"Yeah… When Don starts sprouting that science junk, I just kinda zoned out before. Now, though, I listen. It's like… I need to listen to him, like I need him to talk to me."

"Um hum," Leo grunted from the back of his throat. "Mikey's planning to give him a little talk about how to help you. I don't know what he'll say, but he sounded pretty serious. He said you and Don needed to bond, and fast, though I don't know why."

"Does anyone know what Mike thinks?" Raph asked playfully. Don reemerged from the house, two coils of sturdy cord in his right hand, plus some stakes in the other to anchor the rope.

"Got it!" he shouted, stamping past Mikey and helping Raph hold Leo steady as they lifted him up to his knees. He struggled, of course, but he was tired from all the laughing and knew that, if he escaped, they'd just set Mike out as bait and capture them both.

So, instead, he worked on freeing his Kalian with his tail while Don and Raph worked to tie his wings together.

"I'm _free!_" Mikey cried when the last stake Leo was able to pull out was removed. He tugged himself loose of the rest and ran out of Don and Raph's range, which was very limited because they didn't want to lose Leonardo, too.

"Fine," Raph grumped, straining to push his brother's left wing closed, his own twitching just slightly as the muscles in his arms bulged from the attempts. Don was helping, applying pressure to Leo's shoulder to negate much of the muscle usage.

_I do sound like Donnie now,_ Raph realized. _Ah, well. _

"Aha!" Don cried in excitement as he pushed a knot in Leonardo's shoulder. The turtle being tied cried out in surprise – and a little pain – as his wing went limp. He couldn't move it without excruciating pain, and he slumped a little in mock fear.

Raph and Don soon had his wings tied together and out from his body like a sail. It caught the edges of the falling sun and glinted blackly.

Soon, though, Leo was staked to the dirt securely, and Raph was settling down on his brother's side for a light nap to make sure Mikey didn't try to free his source of warmth at night.

"Don, can you get me some food?" Raph asked as he poked Leo when the cushioning turtle squirmed.

"Sure. Leftovers are okay, right?"

"Anything. I'm hungry. We've been playing for quite some time."

"Alright. I'll get Mikey and get him to help." Don walked away, calling their brother's name with an imitation of Leo that was terrible but the orange turtle responded anyway, bursting from the bushes and making a bee line for Leonardo in hopes to catch the guardians off guard and free his brother at least part way. After that, Leo'd be able to take care of the rest himself.

However, Don whipped out an arm that caught Mikey across the chest, flattening him. The older turtle chuckled and pulled Mike to his feet, held his arm behind his shell, and steered him inside. Raph looked at Leo and they burst out laughing, though Leo's was carefully watched since he was still sore from all the laughing he'd done earlier.

"Man. Who'd a thunk, huh, Leo?" Raph commented. "Donnie flattening Mikey. I wish I had a camera."

"I brought one, but you have to let me go before I'll let you use it."

"You know, I just remembered something. Remember when we played that game of tag? Mikey got his wish – you know, getting your soul back – but I didn't get my turn yet. And neither has Don."

"W-What?" Leo stammered. Raph grinned evilly.

"You know the rules, Leo," he said patiently. "I get to choose something you have to do, and so does Donnie."

"N-No way! You can't save it; it has to be used the day of or after!" Leo protested.

"That's not a rule," Raph sang happily.

"It should be," Leo muttered rebelliously. A shriek came from inside the house, followed by a crash. Both of the elder turtles chuckled once before turning back to the matters at hand.

"Let's see… What should I make you do?" Raph pondered it for a while, schemes running through his head in retaliation for all of the humiliating things Leo had had him do.

Don came out a moment later with the food; when Raph reminded him about Leo's obligation to do what they said, his face lit up and he begged to go first. Raphael allowed him to, since he couldn't think of anything cruel enough yet.

"Alright!" Don cried happily. "Leo, you have to be Raph and my servant for a full week. That means anything, anytime."

Raph laughed so hard he nearly choked at the look on Leonardo's face, one of horror, terror, and dread. He blanched, his wings and tail twitching as much as his restraints allowed him to, which wasn't much considering how tight Don had made the knots and how taunt the lines were.

"W-What?!" Leo managed to sputter finally, his face falling as Don nodded.

"Yep. You have to wait on us hand and foot for one whole week, starting tomorrow at dawn and ending next – what is tomorrow, Tuesday? – Tuesday at dawn." Don stared smugly down at his fully-winged brother, who was trying to think his way out of the task. Finally, he sighed and nodded slightly.

"Very well, I will indulge you. But next time-"

"Next time, I might have wings, and we'll see how good you are at air combat," Raph snickered. "Whoever wins gets to have the other team – you and Mikey, me and Don – wait on them for a whole week. Deal?"

"I can't wait," Leo growled. "Now, are you going to let me up, or is this part of the punishment?"

"You stay here. At dawn, you'd better be awake. We'll send Mikey out to free you, and I expect service _immediately_." Don glared at Leonardo as he spoke. "If you try to fly off, I'll have your shell."

"No, the Ninja God will," Leo assured him. "Since it'd be dishonorable to go back on a promise, no matter how small."

Raph and Don shot their brother uneasy glances. _Why does he sound so comfortable saying that?_ Don wondered to himself. _Why does he think it's the thing of jokes? Why is he so… selfless? I'd be resentful by now, or at least frustrated. But he just deals with it, in fact, he likes it._

"Yes… Well… At dawn," Don stuttered, walking dazedly back into the house.

"Dawn," Leo confirmed, shifting his weight with a yawn. Raph wiggled into a comfortable position and sat against his brother's side. They were both asleep in moments.


	16. Some Bad News on the First Day

"Yo, Kavara," a voice whispered

"Yo, Kavara," a voice whispered. Slowly, Leo opened his eyes to find that Mikey was standing over him, and the sky was lightening. "Wake up, bro!"

"I'm awake," Leonardo slurred, blinking. "Get me loose, quick."

"Don and Raph aren't awake yet, but they will be soon, and you'd better be in there with some breakfast if you want to ease the load for today. I've made their favorites; it's in the kitchen," Mike said as he took the ropes off of his brother. Stretching, the winged turtle stood and fanned his wings gently. He'd slept considerably deep, and hadn't woken until Mikey had called his nickname.

"Thanks, Kalian. I'll be busy today, so don't expect me to play with you so much," Leo warned, walking quickly towards the house, holding his brother in his wing.

"That's okay. I'm gonna help. Don said he might let you go early if you provide excellent service."

"Thanks, Mikey," Leo whispered, putting the smaller turtle down on the threshold as they walked into the manor. Mikey disappeared into their suite for a moment as Leonardo set about gathering the tray and food his brother had prepared and laid out beautifully. Everyone agreed; if Mike had been human, he'd be a caterer or excellent chef. It was amazing how well he understood cooking, which astounded Leonardo the most. It seemed _everything_ in the kitchen hated him, except the kettle. They all agreed there, at least, that the eldest made the best tea and coffee.

He gathered up the tray and put the silverware in a basket he picked up with his wing claws, which were getting supply and bendable. He'd have to get Mikey to oil his wings again, and soon!

Sighing, Leonardo carefully walked up the stairs, the two trays – color coded, of course – balanced in his hands. He gently knocked on Don and Raph's door, then opened it with his tail.

_Such a handy thing, _Leo thought to himself, knowing how hard it would have been to open the door without the extra limb.

"You may enter," Don's voice called out, suppressing a laugh. Raph and he were just sitting up in bed when their brother came into the bedroom, carrying their trays.

"Breakfast," he said brightly. When Don scowled at him, he added quickly, "Your breakfast, O Honorable Ones."

"That's better," the purple-wearing turtle applauded like he would a trained dog. Leo kept his snort to himself as he placed the trays on their laps, handing out silverware and cloth napkins with his tail.

"Hm. I could get used to this," Raph confided quietly to Don. By the way Leo fought down a growl, Raphael knew that his brother had heard. He quickly dug into his greasy bacon, made just the way he liked it. _Mikey's helping,_ Raph thought with certainty. _Oh, well. Do you really want _Leo_ cooking your breakfast? Thought not._

"Will there be anything else?" Leo asked, bowing like a true servant. Raph held down a snicker, chugging some cold apple juice, his favorite kind of drink. Except maybe beer, when he was a little down and needed something to get him back on his feet…so to say.

"Not until we ring," Don answered quickly, like he was merely saying that out of courtesy. _Man,_ Raph thought, _we're really gettin' into this._

"Very well then." Trying to keep his dignity, Leo turned swiftly – though still respectfully – and walked out stiffly.

As soon as they were sure he was out of ear shot, plus some in case he was still listening hard for them, Raphael and Donnie broke into hysterics, tears streaming down their faces.

"Oh-Oh-Oh!" Don cried, trying to be quiet by failing. "D-Did you s-see the l-look on his f-f-face?!"

"Y-Yeah!" Raph sputtered. "Dude, I could really get used to this." He sat back and finished his meal with a loud, contented burp. "Oof. Yum. Mikey did well with this bacon."

"Yeah; my pancakes were just like I like 'em; gooey in the center, crisp on the outside," Don agreed, swallowing some milk down quickly. "Well, too bad we can only insist on services for a week, or else I'd insist on a few decades of this!"

"It's a good rule," Raph said hastily. Don snickered, remembering when this very same thing had happened to Raphael, but he had to wait on Mikey as per Leo's orders, since the eldest knew he'd break down and let his brother out of his service before a day had gone by. So, in exchange for the promise of a Mikey Massage, he made the hothead play slave to the jokester.

"So it is," Don agreed patiently. "Should we ring for him now?"

"Nah. I wanna shower. Dibs?" Raph asked, showing a rare moment of consideration for his brother. Don smiled, knowing that he and the fledging turtle were off to a good start for now.

"Nope. Go ahead; I'll take one later. I think I'll check the mail, see if April's heard of anything recently."

"Alright," Raph shrugged, putting his tray down on the bed and getting to his feet, careful not to upstart the food. It was in his nature to be messy, but after years of having to clean up your own mess, you start to try not to make such a disaster in the first place.

Meanwhile, Leo and Mikey were sitting on the couch together, staring at the TV. Master Splinter came in, accepted another cup of tea from Leonardo, and sat down on the arm chair across from them.

Sensing that their master wanted to speak, Leo reached over Mikey and turned off the cartoon showing before bowing to the aged rat and telling him that he'd fetch Don and Raph.

"Donatello," he said courteously when he opened the door. Don was sitting at the computer and Raphie was no where in sight, but the shower was running. "Master Splinter wishes to see you and Raphael as soon as is convenient. He is waiting in the living room for your attendance."

"Thanks, Leo, go tell Raph," Don ordered, liking this new power over the leader.

"Yes, sir," Leo said, a little snappishly. Donnie ignored him and closed the mail box. Nothing had come, not even a "hello" from April.

"Raphael," Leonardo called through the bathroom door, knocking loudly to penetrate the deep baritone voice that was singing in the shower. Leo suppressed a giggle. He heard a muffled curse and then the water turned off and a soaking Raph stepped out of the bathroom, a towel around his waist to help keep water off the carpet.

"What?" he grumped.

"Master Splinter would like to see you as soon as it is convenient," Leo repeated. "He is in the living room."

"Tell him we'll be right down." Raph grumbled as he walked back into the bathroom, practically slamming the door shut. The elder turtle shrugged and went back downstairs.

He sat next to Mikey on the couch, saying, "They'll be down in a minute, Master Splinter."

"Very well, my son." Master Splinter's eyes gleamed, though, telling Leonardo that he knew of the task Donatello had set to the eldest in retaliation.

Master Splinter watched as Leonardo's wing gently pulled Michelangelo to him, but it seemed as though both were used to this action and hardly took notice except that the youngest turtle curled up against Leonardo's side.

"We're here," Donatello announced, walking into the room. Leonardo looked up, but Donatello waved for him to stay seated and sat in a chair near the couch, turning it to face the old rat. Raphael perched on the arm, his wing stubs clearly in view and looking like they hurt quite a bit.

"My sons, I think it is time we had a talk," Master Splinter started, staring each of his surrogate offspring in the eye for a moment. He saw the trust in Michelangelo's eyes as the young turtle cuddled with the eldest of the four. The wary look, like a lion in a cage, on Raphael's face. Donatello's concentrating, calculating, calm, serene outlook. But most of all, he noticed the new spark in his eldest's eyes, the promise of life and joy, soul and a sense of true self.

"You have all changed," the elderly mutant continued. "As Leonardo has grown two pairs of wings, so will Raphael. As Michelangelo has found a true bond brother, so has Donatello. You are all interdependent now, my sons. You rely on your Kavara or Kalian first, your other brothers second. You no longer need my advice and guidance so readily."

"But Sensei-" Leonardo protested, stopping when his mentor held up a hand.

"I will not leave you yet, my sons. There is still much to learn. However, we have been discovered by the humans. We will not be able to act as we once did. We will have to show ourselves to the world, and show them that we are not the ones to fear."

"Master Splinter, wouldn't they just lock us up in some lab? Bishop'd be able to convince everyone we're dangerous," Raphael protested hotly. "He's just itching to dissect us, and no offense, but you sound like you're willing to give him the chance to do such a monstrous act against us."

"Once again, you're learning my vocabulary," Donatello laughed. He turned somber just as quickly, however. "But he's right, Sensei. If we expose ourselves, who knows what could happen? There might be more like April, but the vast majority will hate and/or fear us."

"They will only fear and hate you if you give them reason to," Master Splinter said. "We will work on becoming more like humans in our acts and behavior. We will not remove ourselves from the world just because we are afraid; we will go out into the open with humiliation."

"I still think it's a bad idea," Raphael argued.

"Duly noted," Splinter assured him. "But we cannot live our lives on the run, my sons. You four will make excursions into the towns nearby. Make yourselves known… as who you are. I will remain here for a time, and then I will go back to New York and perhaps live with Miss O'Neil while you four get yourselves accustomed to life in the open. Once you have done so, I will join you in the human's world."

His sons were silent, brooding, and each leaned close to their bond brother, seeking silent comfort and help. They didn't understand why he was forcing them into the open, like chicks from the nest to fledge, but Splinter knew that Leonardo and Michelangelo would accept his words, as would Donatello. They would fit in easily. Raphael, however, would be harder. He was a rebel by nature, and he would not be able to keep his temper very easily if faced with being made inferior through verbal, emotional, or physical attacks.

Master Splinter sighed to himself. Donatello, Leonardo, and Michelangelo would have to help their brother, and even then…

_Am I sending my family to their doom?_

**A/N: I know, kinda long, and I haven't updated for a couple of days. So sorry, but school's catching up. What can I say? I hope you are enjoying this story; I've gotten some great reviews. Please, review more! I like reviews like Mikey likes pizza!**

**Mikey: "No way, dudette! I love pizza more than you could love anything!"**

**Me: "Shut up."**

**Mikey: "Leo, Koriat told me to shut up!"**

**Leo: "Koriat, leave him alone! Go write more of this; I'm sick of being stuck here motionless… My wings are starting to ache!"**

**Mikey: "Me, too! My butt went numb a few minutes ago!"**

**Raph: "Cool it, Mikey! Donnie, can ya figure out a way to get us outta here? I wanna control my own actions for once. And besides, why do my wings have to hurt when they come in?"**

**Me: "Uh, anyway, I'll be updating soon… Unless the brothers KILL ME!"**

**All: "Write! Write! Write! Write!" (start chanting)**

**Me: "Fine!"**


	17. Preparations for a New Life

The next moment was spent silently as Don and Raph leaned into each other, and Mikey whimpered slightly into Leo's wing

**A/N: Warning for all teary readers: this is a very sad chapter. If you cry easily, or don't like seeing the turtles suffer, skip it. It's not really important; just tells the reader a little bit about what Master Splinter is thinking, and describes the brothers' moods as they get ready to leave. I nearly cried while I wrote it, so beware!**

The next moment was spent silently as Don and Raph leaned into each other, and Mikey whimpered slightly into Leo's wing.

_Father… _Leo thought, trying to will his mentor to hear his words without slipping into a trance. _Why?_

One word, but so many feelings, thoughts, emotions, and fears hidden in that one word. They'd be crucified, tortured, dissected, take your pick, if they were to be put out into the human world. And their father was abandoning them to it?

Enraged, Raph stalked out, followed quickly by a trembling Donnie. Mikey huddled within the warmth and comfort of Leo's wing, which shook against his skin. His brother's black scales rattled quietly like rain.

"Father…" Leonardo said, looking at their aged teacher. "You would abandon us to the humans?"

"Never, my sons. I will always be nearby, and ever in your hearts," Master Splinter assured his lost eldest. Always, he'd been there to help Leonardo lead his band, to tell Raphael that he was needed, to keep Michelangelo from wearing everyone down with his self-imposed hyper activity, to keep all three brothers from getting in the way of Donatello's vital work.

"But… we will be at _their_ mercy. How are we to introduce ourselves? We cannot reach for the surface world without expecting consequences. My brothers and I… we will be overpowered and locked in cages, like animals in a zoo." Leonardo paled slightly, and Master Splinter sympathized. Leonardo had been locked in such a cage before, though it was of his own making.

"You must make allies in powerful humans. Seek those who are open-minded like Miss O'Neil. Gather your army and set forth, my son." Master Splinter stood and walked over to the pair on the couch, gripping their shoulders tightly. "I cannot reveal myself because they must first get used to mutants in general. If you are turned upon, you can flee swiftly. I am an elderly rat, even for a mutant. You must secure a place for yourselves. You do not need my guidance so readily, and you _must_ start choosing for yourselves. You have, as Michelangelo has said, become "bond brothers", Kalians and Kavaras."

"Yes, Master," Leonardo said, bowing his head and standing, picking his Kalian up with him. "We will ready ourselves for this test… And pray that we will return for you quickly."

Then he was gone, vanishing like only Leonardo can do.

Raph and Don were on the porch, the latter crying into the fledgling turtle's shoulder. Raphael's own cheeks were wet, but he pretended to hold strong for his brother. When Leo and Mikey joined them, the two turtles looked over, and with silent consent headed for the woods.

They hiked for a few minutes until Leo directed them to a clearing with a small pond. They seated themselves, but instead of pairs, they huddled into one group, arms over each other's shoulders – though Mikey and Raph had to stretch to get up to Leo's shoulders even though he was stooped – and hummed quietly. It was an old song, the only thing they had of their time as regular turtles. They only knew it because – as eggs – their mother had hummed it quietly to them when there were no humans around. It was imprinted in their memory.

Leo sang the tune quietly. He was the only one who knew it, anyway. Leonardo's alto voice rose into the sky, bolstered by the light thrumming from Don and Mikey, the deep bass voiced by Raph.

Soon, their voices died down, until only Leo and Raph were making a sound, and their voices drifted off as well. Mikey hugged the brothers on either side of him with one arm each, while Leo spread his wings over the group, heating them up and forming a shield.

"We are one," Leonardo said prayerfully. "We are soul bound. We are bond-mates. We are together, now as forever."

"We are one," Raph continued. "We are strong. We are unbreakable. We are intangible, now as forever."

"We are one," Don chimed in. "We are inimitable. We are unwavering. We are invulnerable, now as forever."

"We are one," Mikey said last, completing the circle. "We are radiance. We are unruffled. We are brothers, now as forever."

"We are one," they all chorused. "Now as forever."

They sat in silence for a moment, Mikey sniffling and Donnie trying to hold his sobs back and making strangled noises.

"Well," Leo finally said, breaking the silence. Everyone looked up at him, and he realized that he was truly the leader now. Master Splinter – _no, _Leo thought to himself,_ he's Splinter now. _**Splinter** had made it clear that they needed to get themselves settled with the humans before he would try.

"Well," the blue-banded turtle continued. "We're leaving in the morning for the nearest town. Let's leave the truck; we don't want cops on our shells about stealing and driving without a license." No one laughed. The eldest sighed and looked at the stars through the little hole between his outstretched wings. "We'll get up at dawn and start the hike."

"Can we… sleep out here? Together?" Mikey asked timidly, cuddling into Leo's side.

"Sure." The biggest turtle smiled warmly. "Let's bunk here."

With a little shifting, Raph and Don got on one side of Leonardo, Mikey on his other. They lay down on their shells, and Leo threw his wings gently over them, wary of Raphael's tender wing stubs.

"Leo," Mikey whispered for only his brother to hear. "I just want you to know… You're my best friend, Kavara."

"You're my Kalian, Mikey, and that sums it all up," Leonardo sighed quietly, wrapping his tail around Mikey's ankle.

"Raph? Don?" Mikey called a little louder. "No matter what happens tomorrow, I'm really glad you're my brothers."

"I'm really glad you're mine, Mikey," Raph assured him warmly.

"Me, too," Don added, cuddling closer to his brother's side. Raph was closet to Leonardo, since his wings needed the protection of the place where Leo's wings wouldn't touch them.

They fell asleep together, in a tightly-wrapped package. Everyone dreamed, but they were the dreams no one remembers when they wake up, the dreams of fantasy and fairytale.

The next morning, Leonardo woke first, opening his eyes sleepily. He remembered what had happened with a jolt and sat up carefully, watching his sleeping brothers. Raph and Don were hugging, Donnie's head tucked beneath Raph's chin. Mikey had been in the hollow created by Leo bending as far as he could around his Kalian, and all three shivered with the cold, waking up with just as much sleepiness as the winged turtle had. Raph winced as his wings twitched, Don yawned hugely, and Mikey stretched a lot like Klunk in the morning.

"Good morning," Leo greeted softly, heaving himself to his feet gracefully. He offered Mikey and Don a hand up before helping Raph, who was trying to keep himself from moving his arms too much and inflicting more pain on himself. The drugs had worn off, and Donnie didn't have any with him.

"Let's get some medicine and breakfast at the manor," Leo suggested. "And we will gather the few things we will need in our new life."

The three younger turtles nodded and waited for their elder brother to lead the way. Sighing to himself, Leo looked into the brightening sky, a pale blue that Leo had always liked.

_Someday… Perhaps we will be accepted._ It would take a long time, and many cautious expeditions to the homes of people who seemed the least hostile towards the news reports. Beth was probably a good bet; she was skeptical, sure, but Leo knew she had a younger brother who was deformed, so her mind was pretty open. They'd try her house first.

"Come on."

Leo set the pace as they trudged back towards the house. Inside, Mikey's usually hyper mood was subdued, and Raph was mellow, staring into space on the couch. Leo and Don packed some back packs with food and pain killers for Raph, plus a few first-aid supplies, the rest of their money, and Leo packed himself a second bag to store in his wing, filled with his sketches, journals, and drawing implements. Donnie noticed with a raised eyebrow, commenting, "I didn't know you drew."

"Yeah," was all Leo responded with, testing the backpack's weight in his wings and seemingly satisfied with it.

Breakfast was nearly-burnt toast, butter and jam, and some pieces of bacon that Raph gobbled half-cooked, probably not tasting it. He was in a semi-drugged state, thanks to the needle-happy leech named Donatello, and shouldered his back with an absent look.

They set out soon after the dishes were cleaned; only looking back once when the balcony door on the second floor opened and then banged shut. Splinter stood there, silhouetted against the house in the cool morning light. Leo held his gaze the longest, wishing he knew why his father was sending them out to interact with a race that would never accept them as a whole.

But he, too, turned away and strode after his brothers. They disappeared into the forest, heading for New York City.

Only the bird perched on the lawn below saw the tear that trickled down the rat's cheek. Only the wood beneath him heard his fall as he knelt suddenly, overwhelmed by grief.

His sons were gone…


	18. Not Who She Seems

They walked all day, stopping only once at midday when it grew hotter and Raph's wings were hurting again

They walked all day, stopping only once at midday when it grew hotter and Raph's wings were hurting again. Leo decided that he would fly high above them, so he could spot enemies if they had any, and so that he could be a little cooler.

When they stopped for the night, Leonardo landing in the middle of the clearing, gratified to see that his brothers were acting normally again. He laughed as Raph chased Mikey for payback on a joke that the youngest had cracked.

"Fine!" Raph exploded, stopping and panting as Mikey out-lapped him easily. Mikey's boundless source of energy was an asset right now.

"Raph, Mikey, dinner!" Don cried, banging a pot. "Din-din, wild animal!"

"Hey!" Leo protested comically. "I'm not a wild animal. And "din-din" is demeaning. _I _used to say that to _you_."

"Shut up and eat, O Winged One," Raph grumbled, setting to with a ferocious appetite. The turtle smiled and shrugged, eating his beans carefully. They were messy, after all, and they didn't have a shower anymore.

_No. Don't think like that. If this works out, we'll gain anything we need. Our own homes. _

"Sleep time," Mike said later, cuddling up to Leo's wing and putting his bowl down next to the pile of others.

"Okay," Leo murmured, brushing Mikey's temple with his beak comfortingly. Raph and Don rubbed beaks once, in a fashion that was brotherly, and they all got under Leo's wing for the night.

Raph's wings had grown in a few more inches by the time they woke up, and he was in a lot of pain as a result. Don drugged him heavily, so that he wove as he walked. Despite his slurred protests, Leo picked him up and carried his brother on their day's hike until noon, when Raph returned to his mind slowly and was able to walk.

"We're on the outskirts," Don said. "It'll be a little while until we can get into the city proper. Well, Leo, which way do we go?"

"Underground. We'll see Beth first. She's skeptical about the mutants, but Lincoln – her brother – is not a normal human, he's deformed. So she should be more open-minded."

"And if she ain't?" Raph growled.

"We talk to her. She's caught glimpses of me when I make deliveries or pick up some keys. She thinks I wear a costume. Worse comes to worst, we'll pretend that we were playing a neighborhood joke, dressing up like the mutants on the news."

"Oh, sure, she'll believe that," Raph said sardonically.

"She will. She's believed far more strange tales," Leo believed, though his words were cryptic. He turned and disappeared into the growing shadows, the sun at his side as it sank.

"Damn fool," Raph muttered, but he followed in the shadows just as easily as Leo even though he was almost half his brother's size. Don and Mikey came after him promptly.

"Here," a voice whispered, accompanied by the softest sound of a man hole cover pulling pulled away effortlessly. "Go on down. I'll meet you in the lair."

Donnie could have smacked himself. _Duh,_ Mikey thought, angry with himself. _Leo can't fit down those anymore. _

Raph shook his head, though. "Uh uh, O Winged One. We need to stick together. We ain't goin' down there is you can't."

"Raph-"

"No, Leo," Don said, putting a hand on Raph's shoulder as the turtle started to shout. "What if you're spotted? What if we can't get to the lair? We need to be together, and this way, we can go directly to Bethatha's house."

"Okay," Leo agreed hesitantly. "Stick to the rooftops, though."

"While you what? Fly?" Raph reacted out of pure instinct, and he stopped when he realized what he'd said. Leo and Mike looked at each other with grins on their faces, and even Don was having a hard time keeping a smile down. "Fine, laugh, whatever. Let's just get outta here."

He, Don, and Mikey ascended a fire escape ladder as Leo drove his wings down silently, rising faster and quieter than they were. Their leader met them on the roof, where Don reminded him to stay low because of the radar scans. However, if he stayed low, he'd have to travel fast, since there was no room to glide between the buildings, not enough for Leo's liking.

"I'll just run with you. I need the exercise anyway," Leo commented, taking off with his brothers right behind him. They stuck together, even though Leo was the fastest and Donnie the slowest, as they traveled. The winged turtle led them deeper into the city, until they were downtown, before turning east and running for about a half mile. He stopped on a roof across from a Wal-mart, on top of a nice house with a garden in the back.

"This is it," he whispered very quietly, so that his brothers got the impression mostly from the way he moved his beak. "I'll call you down in a moment. Beth's awake, but we shouldn't all burst in on her at once. Her mother and father are asleep, probably, and it wouldn't do to wake them up. They can be… a little overprotective at times."

Raph wondered how well Leo really knew this family but shrugged it off. If Leo had a girlfriend, that was fine. Their leader would need one by the time they were ready to show themselves to the whole world.

Leonardo slipped quietly into the open window, landing silently on the carpet. Beth didn't hear him; she was sitting at her desk, listening to her I-pod. Smiling, Leo crept into position behind her before tapping her shoulder.

Startled, Beth took off the headphones and swung around in her chair. When she saw Leo she smiled brightly, her bright blue eyes lighting up as her black, shoulder-length hair settled from the mad swing.

"Hey, Leo," she said carefully, standing up and hugging him. His strong arms wrapped around her gently. "I've missed you."

"Sorry, Eiladar." Her Elvish name – she had used the site that Mikey had found their Elvish names on – meant "Blue's World." "How're you doing?"

"Fine. I was worried when that report came out, though." She used a hand to touch his face, though she had to reach to do it. "You've grown, Fisae." His Elvish name courtesy of Beth meant "Light Whisper", for the way he'd snuck up on her so many times.

Carefully, he reached down and touched his lips to hers. "We've decided it's time," he whispered, locking their lips in a tight brace.

"Duuuude."

Leo whirled to find Mikey, Don, and Raph grinning at him, standing on the window.

"So… When you said she'd be open-minded, you meant, "She's my girlfriend", right, O Winged One?" Raph teased, strutting into the room and looking around. It was a large one, filled with notes, computers, a bed, and a couple of dressers.

Both Leo and Beth were blushing, which Mikey was happy to point out, and not so happy to receive a slap from his wing in return.

"Well, bros, this is Beth," Leo introduced hesitantly. "Beth, these are my brothers. Raphael, the angry red one. Michelangelo, the funny orange one. Donatello, the brainiac purple one."

"Hm. Nope. You're still my favorite," Beth giggled, pressing back into Leo's chest. Raph snickered as Mikey made smooching faces behind Leo's back. The eldest seemed to sense it, though, and his wing traveled backwards to hit his Kalian gently.

"I'd hope so," Leo said to Beth, hugging her from behind. She rested her head back, looking up at him. "Where's Linc?"

"Oh, he's in his room. Mom and Dad are out, by the way. I'll get him. He's been dying to see the rest of you." She and Leo left quietly, sneaking through the hallways, while Don looked around the room and spotted the large computer database. _Why would she need that?_ he wondered.

The sound of the door downstairs opening sent them into the shadows in the hallway. Leo and Beth came out of a room with a young boy in a wheelchair. He was missing his left arm, right leg, and his back was hunched. His blue eyes were tired, and his blond hair was crinkled from sleep, but he smiled at Leo as they walked down the hall.

His brothers followed, invisible and silent except to Leo, who could hear their hearts beating.

They came into the living room to find a man and a woman just sitting down together. Both smiled when the turtle came in, apparently having seen him before.

"Hey, Mr. Jackson," Leo greeted calmly.

"Leonardo," the man responded warmly. "How are you? When we saw the report, we were very worried."

"Our home was invaded," Leo explained. "We were living up in the forest for a few days, but we've decided to tell the world about us. It's not like we can hide anymore; the lair was invaded and I'm sure they taped the fight."

"I'm so sorry. Well, you know our home is your home," the woman said, standing up and giving Leo a warm handshake.

"I've got my brothers with me. Would you like to meet them?"

"Certainly! I've wondered what your mysterious brothers are like."

"Raphael," Leonardo chuckled. The red turtle dropped from the ceiling, startling the humans. "He's our hothead of the family. Also, he's changing like I did. Don't get blood near him, though."

"Why not?" Lincoln asked, looking at the turtle with warm greeting.

"Lincoln," their mother scolded, but Raph waved a hand.

"You ever heard about vampires, Lincoln?" he asked gently, kneeling down to look the youngling in the face. The boy nodded. "Well, I got bit by one. A human one. We've kept it under control, but we probably will get bloodied up by the time this whole mess is over with."

"Neat!" the little one cried, his nose twitching.

"If you say so," Raph chuckled, standing back up with a small groan. He was sore.

"Donatello, Michelangelo," Leo introduced as his brothers appeared right next to him. "Together, we're Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles!"

"Cool," Lincoln whispered. Beth smiled brightly, cuddling up next to Leo. Mikey felt a flicker of jealousy as Leo wrapped his warm wing around her like he did for his Kalian.

"You're welcome to stay here, Leo," Mr. Jackson said genially. "We're happy to have you. And then we could keep an eye on our daughter when you two are together."

Leo's brothers had the pleasure of seeing both of the teenagers under the man's scrutiny squirm and blush. Raph winked at Don, who nudged Mikey.

"Leo's got a girlfriend, Leo's got a girlfriend," Mikey chanted softly in return. Leo rolled his eyes as his tail twisted, making a fist-like knob with his tail tip sticking out of the middle. Raph laughed quietly; it looked like Leo's tail was flipping them off!

"Come on. I'm tired," Beth yawned. Leo bowed to her parents, wished them a good night, and carried Beth back up the stairs. Mikey followed, making cooing noises, while Don and Raph took Lincoln to bed.

"I'm gonna like having you here," Beth whispered to Leo once they were in the dark and quiet of her room. She reached up and stole another kiss.

Leo set her down gently, closing the door with his tail, and pressed his lips to hers, wings extending slightly to cover her.

Mikey, Don, and Raph slept in the living room. Leo, they suspected, was sleeping with Beth, but since the room was quiet, they didn't know for sure. Their brother could have slipped out with or without his girlfriend.

Raph sighed, happy that Leo had someone he could go to, besides Mikey, who would listen to him and love him. The eldest needed that.

They smiled as one and slept.

**A/N: I know, pretty long. But after that sad chapter, I had to write something happy. Here it is; Leo/OC. I know, this really isn't a Raph-centric, I've put a little too much of Leo in. Sorry. But that's how I write, I guess. Leo's my favorite, so I think it's just something I do. Don't worry, Leo's not gonna be the only one with a love. You'll see.**

**Review, please!**


	19. School

"Fisae," Sam whispered in the dark, snuggling into her boyfriend's side

"Fisae," Beth whispered in the dark, snuggling into her boyfriend's side.

"Hm?" he asked politely, wrapping his wing and arm around her warmly.

"What- What if the other humans don't like you? What if you're taken away from me?" She turned to face him, ignoring how much she wanted to kiss him.

"I'll never be taken away from you, Eiladar. I'll always be in your heart," he assured her, tapping her chest with a gentle finger.

"But-"

Her response was silenced as Leo pressed their lips together, rubbing her shoulders comfortingly.

"Now, what were you going to say?" he asked teasingly when they pulled back for air.

"N-Nothing," she sputtered, rubbing his plastron. The metal felt cold beneath her hand, but she didn't mind. His scales were wonderful to touch. "How long are you going to be here?"

"A while, I think," Leo alleged. He hugged her tightly, pressing their chests together as they lay on her bed like they had so many times when they talked, since she only had one chair and Leonardo was usually tired when he came by to see her. "We want to get more allies, like you, April, Casey, and Angel. Maybe my brothers can find someone special, like I have." She giggled as he rubbed his beak on her cheek gently.

"I'll help," she said immediately. "I've got control of the counsel rooms at work. I can put out a bulletin for a meeting about the new "Mutant Menace" for those of us who want to know more. I'll weed out the ones who'd turn you in," she promised as her best friend pulled his lip back slightly, indicating distaste or hesitation.

"Well… I guess so. But I don't want to get you into trouble. What if you're seen with us? Someone might hurt you," Leo protested.

"Aw, that's so sweet. You've taught me a little of how to defend myself. I'll be fine."

Leo bent down and kissed her softly. "I'm not going to let you start a movement without some backup," he promised. "I'll follow you, and when we've got the group you want me to appear to, I'll just pop on out."

"And scare them half to death," she teased. "Bring a brother, Fisae. Bring the funny one, Michelangelo, was it? He's a "normal" mutant turtle. And he'll help keep the spirits happy."

"Sure," Leo agreed, yawning. "Oof. I'm beat. Let's go to bed, little one."

"Hulk," she insisted. "You're the Hulk now, Fisae."

"No, you're beauty, and I'm the beast!" he joked.

"Shush," she instructed, swatting his wing and rolling over onto her chest. Leo copied her, throwing his wing out and letting it settle around them like a blanket. She had changed into silk pajamas, and he had taken off his belt and mask, putting them with his katanas on a clear-ish table.

The next morning, Raph woke first, stretching and looking around. As he noticed the creamy walls, lit by dawn's rising sun, he remembered what had happened. Snickering, he shook Mikey and Don awake silently, and like the ninjas they were, they crept upstairs.

Don took out his camera as Mike opened the door to Beth's room as quietly as he could. However, it creaked slightly, and they heard a small noise from within. Not about to lose his chance, Raph grabbed the camera, jumped into the room, and snapped a picture. He was gone with his brothers before the half-awake Leo could shout at him.

Blearily, the tired turtle looked down at his girlfriend, who was just opening her eyes. She looked up and smiled. "Oh, good," Beth mumbled. "I thought I was dreaming."

"You weren't," he promised, reaching over to flick on the light. "My brothers decided they needed a picture of us together."

"Oh. OH!" Beth looked furious as she stood up, placing her hands on her hips as she eyed the door. "I'd like to give them a piece of my mind!"

Leo sat back, enjoying the show as his girlfriend stormed about, muttering curses onto Raph, Mikey, and Donnie. _She's cute when she's angry,_ he thought to himself.

"Whoa, Eiladar," he whispered finally, standing up and pulling her to his plastron as she pulled her shirt over her head. "Calm down. They're my brothers. What did you expect?"

"Decency and a sense of honor, like you have, Fisae," she growled, hooking her hands on his strong arms wrapped around her.

"They're boys," he chuckled, kissing the top of her head. "What, did you expect them not to tease us?"

"Actually, no," she sighed, melting into his caress. "But they _shouldn't_ burst into _my_ room like that. What if I was changing?"

"Then I'd beat them for looking at you," Leo chortled, shifting slightly to rub his plastron against her back. "What'd you think I'd do?"

"That Bethe," she answered, wiggling free and brushing her hair. "It's about time for breakfast. Will you eat with us?"

"I don't know… My brothers don't have the best of manners," Leo admitted, wincing. It was the truth, though. The Ancient One had taught him proper table manners for fancy meals, and he applied those to regular ones, too, to keep the information fresh in his mind.

"They'll be fine. It's just us; Mom and Dad go out to eat breakfast together every morning before work. I'll drop Lincoln at school afterwards, and then I'll come back. Gotta love working at home some days." She slipped out of the room, a now-clothed Leo following her to her little brother's room.

She was about twenty, out of school and working. She'd graduated early, and was taking college courses online – since she was scared of going to a huge school where no one knew anyone, and she had to help with Lincoln anyway. She was about three years in and showing great potential for being a computer technician.

Beth woke her brother gently and helped him into the bathroom to shower. Everything was tailored for his disabilities, so she didn't have to wash him anymore. When he came back out, dressed and with brushed hair, she and Leo were waiting. They escorted him downstairs, using the little elevator they'd installed a couple years ago when they'd had the money, and met Raph and Don with grins.

"Hey, Raphael," Lincoln greeted. "Hello, Donatello. How did you sleep?"

"Very well, thank you," Don responded. "And you can call me Don or Donnie; everyone does, anyway."

"I'm Raph, and I slept well, too."

"What about me?" Mikey pouted, stepping into the room from the kitchen.

"And you, Michelangelo. How did you sleep?" Lincoln laughed, the motors in his chair propelling him into the dining room with the hyper turtle.

"Good. I'm Mikey, by the way. We're only called by our full names by M-… By Leo when he's mad at us," Mikey quickly covered. He shot an apologetic look at Leo, who was glaring at him for the near slip.

"Oh, okay. Mikey. I like that. I've got a good friend named Michel."

"Ugh, I hate that name. It's so… serious sounding," the youngest turtle laughed, dishing up pancakes he'd made. Lincoln and Beth thanked him and ate fervently while Raph, Don, Leo, and Mikey set to with an appetite to rival a lion's.

"Mmm, that was good," Lincoln said happily, thanking Mikey with a burp. It soon became a contest as the two youngest battled it out, letting loose burps that nearly shook the table.

"Alright, enough," Leo admonished once Lincoln had let out one that sounded like a squeak. "Lincoln, Beth and I will take you to school. The rest of you, wait here and clean up the place a bit."

"Yeah, it looks like there's teenagers living in the house or something," Beth joked.

"How old are you, Beth?" Don asked.

"Twenty," she responded. Don stared at her, and she stood up to clear her plate. "Why?"

"You're two years older than us," Raph realized, looking at Leo. "Like the older ones, do we?"

Leonardo blushed and shook his head. "I don't care what Beth's age is," he responded, standing up as well and clearing his, his brothers', and Lincoln's plate. "She's just right for me."

"Man, bro," Raph whistled. "You sound like a cheesy romance novel or something."

"Aw, stuff it," Leo laughed, going into the kitchen with the plates. He shared a quick kiss with Beth before coming back out and handing Lincoln his backpack. Raph chuckled as Lincoln sighed dramatically, putting it in the cart beside his wheelchair.

"Leo, Lincoln, let's go!" Beth called, trotting to the front door. "Lincoln, you'll be late if you dilly-dally!"

"Come on, Bethmy," Lincoln whined. "Why can't I stay home for once? I've learned all kinds of stuff I'll never use in my life. I wanna draw, not figure out how to measure distances to stars or recite Shakespeare's _Midsummer Night's Dream._"

"You need to go to school and that's final," Beth insisted.

"But we've got guests… And your boyfriend!" he teased, looking at Mikey and winking. "Besides, I've gotta chaperone you two. Mom said so!"

Leo sighed and pushed his wheelchair out of the room. "No, you don't," he added.

"Uh huh!" Lincoln insisted, grinning wickedly. "Ever since-"

"Shut it, little brother!" Beth ordered. "You're going to school and that's final. Now let's move it!"

"But you don't have to go to school."

"I did, and I'm still in school. Speaking of which, if you make me late to online class again, I'll… I'll…"

"We'll take away your Xbox," Leo threatened, grabbing a trench coat and hat from the closet, obviously stored there for him. Lincoln gasped dramatically.

"Never! O, but would I for die without the tender caress of the Xbox!" He flung his arm over his forehead, looking up at Leo. "I feel nauseous?" he guessed. "Oh, well, guess I can't go to school!"

"Ah ah ah, young man," Leonardo scolded, opening the door and rolling Lincoln out onto the street. "You're going to school, and as Beth said, that's final!"

"Pushy, pushy, pushy," Lincoln muttered, rolling along the sidewalk at a sedate stroll for the turtle and teenager. The door closed behind them.

"I wonder why Lincoln said he needed to chaperone Leo and Beth?" Raph wondered aloud, grinning. "Shall we find out later?"

"Surely," Mikey grinned. "I have a feeling Lincoln'd be _happy_ to tell us. And I don't know about you, but I wanna more about Leo and Beth."

"That sounds funny. Try Fisae and Eiladar."

"Hm." Raph grunted and looked out the window, towards the street. Humans walked around normally. _Maybe we will be able to fit in,_ he mused. _Or not._


	20. At The Hospital

Leo and Beth dropped Lincoln off at school without incident, though the turtle kept his trench coat and hat on, stayed out of immediate light, and walked with his head down to minimize the chance of being spotted

Leo and Beth dropped Lincoln off at school without incident, though the turtle kept his trench coat and hat on, stayed out of immediate light, and walked with his head down to minimize the chance of being spotted.

"Well, now what?" Beth wondered. "I've got the week off from the hospital, but I think I'll head on over there to secure the counseling room and maybe we can make fliers. Your brothers will be fine," she added as Leo hesitated, turning back towards the house worriedly.

"I know. They're big boys now," he chuckled. "But still… I worry about them. I guess it's in the job description."

"Stop worrying so much. We're gonna get you and your brothers introduced to mankind, and then we'll be all set for a real life together." Beth brushed a lock of black hair from her eyes. "Come on."

They set off for the hospital with Leo trialing along nearest the alley side of the street. It was always like this; he wanted a quick escape route if he needed one."

"Hm. Let's see… Who do I like in here with a printer and a computer I can use?" Beth wondered. "I don't wanna use my own paper, of course," she laughed.

"I thought it's against the rules to print something from the hospital when it isn't pertaining to the hospital itself."

"It might later on, if one of you get hurt, you could come here. Eventually, I guess, but still. Besides, I do it all the time. The cost is taken out of my check."

"Alright. I still don't like it; what if I get spotted?" Leo asked carefully. "Where do we go?"

"This way. My office is down here. Maurine should be free; I can ask her to use her computer, I guess."

"Wow," Leo breathed as they walked through the white, stainless halls. Beth led him unerringly, since she'd walked this route so many times.

"Here we are. Sit tight; I'll be right back," Beth promised, unlocking a door and ushering Leonardo into the room. He sat on the chair and admired the decorations. There was a sketch he did of her, and it was framed and hung in a place of honor where a new comer would be sure to see it.

Beth whistled as she walked back down the hall, towards her good friend's office. Maurine greeted her with a smile and a hug.

"Hey, how's is goin'?" she beamed, her bright red hair flashing in the fake light. "I thought you're off duty."

"I was. But I decided to come back for a day. I've gotta see something. Is the council room free in a week?"

"I think so. The next thing I know about is a convention about heart disease. Why?"

"You know that "Mutant Menace" thing? I wanna know more, so I'm thinking I'll get a group together to talk about it. I mean, who knows? Maybe these poor creatures are just as scared of us as we are of them?"

"I'll sign up. I wanna see if anyone knows more, too," Maurine sighed. "They sound surreal, but – hey! – so did standing on the moon, and people do that regularly now."

Beth laughed. "So, can I see the books and get it scheduled?"

"Surely. I'll print off some fliers. By the way, who's the person sitting in your room? I saw him on your way in and he's huge!" Maurine laughed. "Did you dump Roger for the Hulk?"

"Yeah, I suppose," Beth laughed uneasily. "Listen, I'll see if he wants to meet you. Okay?"

"Surely. I wonder if he's interested in the mutant. If he is, he could serve as a guard to keep people who are out to hurt these creatures from hurting _us_." Maurine turned back to her computer, handing Beth a thick blue book. Together, they picked a date and time, made a flier, and printed it out.

On her way to make copies in her office, Beth told Leo that they had their first human ally. He agreed to see her, and let her see him, more importantly.

"I'm sure she'll love you," Beth assured him. "She's very open-minded. She works here because her parents died from treatable gun shot wounds, only that they didn't want to treat them. She's always loved medicine and helping others."

"I'm sure she'd get along with me fine," Leo chuckled. "Bring her in. I'll talk to her for a while, get her comfortable. I wanna see how she'd react to seeing one of us before actually revealing myself."

"For a seven point five foot tall turtle, you sure are paranoid," Beth laughed, leaving the copier to work as she fetched Maurine.

"He says he'll meet you," she explained. "Come on. He's waiting in my office."

Maurine nodded, shut off her computer, and followed her friend. When Beth let her into the room, she looked at the figure on the couch apprehensively. He _looked_ like someone who would be lurking for victims in an alley.

However, when he chuckled, she knew she was safe. His chortle was warm, fun, and welcoming.

"Hello," she said politely, extending a hand to shake. "I'm Maurine."

"I am called Leonardo," the cloaked figure responded graciously, bowing slightly. "You can call me Leo, though. Everyone else does. How are you this fine day?"

She smiled, charmed by his antics. "I'm good. Busy, but that's why I work here. Never a dull moment! And you?"

"I am very well, though a little busy myself. Where are you from?" he invited her to sit down on the couch next to him, and he stood in front of her easily.

"Oh, I'm New York bred and raised. And you?" Beth walked out, probably to start putting out the fliers.

"New York bred and raised, too," Leo smiled. "Do you live with your family?"

"Yeah, I live with my pet cat and dog. You?"

"My three brothers and I live with Beth right now," he said. "We are looking for a new home."

"Hm. I hope you have some luck. Say, have you heard of that Mutant Menace thing?" She studied his body language, since she couldn't see his face.

"Yes," he replied without hesitation. "I think we should try to find them and help them. They must be scared. Did you know they attacked the mutant's home?"

"No," she gasped. "Who did? When?"

"They attacked about a week ago, the old warehouse over in the slum district, you know? Blew a hole right through the floor. They were in the sewer below. They killed a whole SWAT team but escaped, too. I thought it was all over the news."

"No, it isn't. I haven't heard anything like that. Poor souls! Where did you hear that?"

"I was on defense," he responded, shrugging off his trench coat and hat. "I'm one of the mutants."

"Oh…" Maurine stood up carefully, reaching out and touching his arm hesitantly. "Neat! I'm so sorry to hear about your home, though. Did Beth tell you about the meeting she's planning?"

"You're not going to scream?" Leo asked incredulously.

"Why should I? I've always wanted to meet one of you. Well, you certainly are strange, even for a mutant. Wings, scales, tail, horns?"

"It's a long story. Basically, I got a mental problem courtesy of some other dimension that left me part-dragon, part-human, and part-turtle. My shell and plastron are metal thanks to Bishop. Know of him?"

"Yeah, actually. He's been on the news, saying that we need to find the mutants and destroy them. And a robot. Stockman, is it?"

Leo hissed slightly, clenching a fist. She stepped back as his tail swung madly. "I know of him. Indeed, we know each other very well. _He_ was the one who very nearly dissected me a while ago. While I was alive and kicking, actually."

"That's horrible!" Maurine was shocked. "How could they do that?"

"They did it because we are not human," Leo shrugged. "They can get away with it. They needed us alive, but they also needed samples of our DNA, tissues, and stuff."

"I'm so sorry. If you ever need anything, here's my number and address." She handed him a slip of paper. "Will you be at the meeting?"

"I will, and we are trying to gather allies for when we present ourselves to the whole world," he explained, putting the coat back on and covering his head with his hat. "I will see you there."

He swept into a bow before disappearing just as Beth walked in, holding a stack of papers. He came out of the shadows and she handed him one, which he looked at and smiled.

"Thanks," he said, hugging her gently. "I'd better get back. Mikey's probably goading Raph into something we don't want happening." He kissed her quickly – or so Maurine thought, she couldn't really tell – and walked quickly outside.

"So… You did dump Roger for the Hulk?" Maurine laughed.

"Stow it, girl. He's really nice."

"Whatever you say, Beth."


	21. Plans for the Future

A/N: Alright, someone asked me to do a picture of Leo as he was in "TDSHW"

**A/N: Alright, someone asked me to do a picture of Leo as he was in "TDSHW". I did; and I posted it online. It's at , under the search "Kavara-Leo" or "The Dragon Spreads His Wings". It's pretty good, I think. Leave a review if you do see it, but leave it here. I don't check my reviews – or whatever – on there. I just joined so I could post the pictures I'll do of the four mutant-mutant turtles. Hope you like it. :-) **

"Raph, Mikey, Don!" Leo called when he opened the door, peering into the dark house. He walked in, closing the door firmly before putting his trench coat and hat in the closet and heading deeper into the house. "Ha ha, guys. Come on out!"

"SURPRISE!" Mikey cried, jumping from behind the couch. Leo eyed him, and the youngest knew he was in trouble. "Um… Happy Birthday?"

"It's not my birthday, Mikey," Leo sighed. "Where are Raph and Don?"

"Um… Out…" Mikey squeaked as Leonardo took a step forward, his tail thrashing.

"What?! Where?" Leo demanded.

"Um… They're on the roof… I think…"

"It's broad daylight," the leader nearly screamed, amazed at their stupidity. "What the shell are they doing?"

"You cursed," Mikey giggled, though he silenced when Leo ran past him towards Beth's room and the easiest route to the roof. "Hey- No! Leo, come back here!" He set off after his Kavara, hoping he stopped the big turtle in time.

However, Leo threw open the door to Beth's room to find Raph and Don hanging banners that said, "Welcome to the Family" and "Thank You" on them in bright, block letters. Stopping, Leo stared, his jaw dropping.

"Leo!" Raph cried in surprise, falling off the chair he was standing on in his shock. "Um… I… We thought you'd be gone longer!"

"Obviously. What is the meaning of this?" Leonardo demanded, crossing his arms. "Why are you in Bethantha's room without her permission?"

"Because… Um… Well…" Don fidgeted as he put the scissors down on the table.

"BecausewereallythinkyouandBetharereallycutetogetherandwewantedtomakeitreallycoolinhereforwhenshegetsback," Mikey blurted.

"Andwethinkyouneedashoveintherightdirectiontoaskheroutlikeahumanshould," Don continued in just the Bethe manner.

"Say what?" Leo's jaw dropped further, if that was possible. "Why did you want to make her room "cool"?"

"Because we think you two should go out together," Raph explained patiently. "Leo, Beth's gonna be the best thing that's ever happened to you. You need to take what ya can, bro."

"Guys, you don't understand. We've _been_ out together. We've been going steady for about a year now." Leo chuckled at their expressions. "She knows I love her, and I know she loves me. We're well on our own path, thank you. Now, help me clean this up. If Beth sees this-"

"If I see what?" a sweet voice asked from behind the winged turtle. Beth was standing there, blue eyes twinkling.

"Beth!" Leo cried, spreading his wings to hide her room from her view. "Um… Welcome home?"

"Too late, Fisae, I saw," she laughed, touching his wings. He closed them obediently and stepped aside so she could scold his brothers. To all of their surprise, though, she merely smiled at them. "Thanks for your help."

"W-What? I thought you'd be mad," Don stammered.

"Nah, I've had worse done for me. Like Lincoln's little trick of putting up some pictures he's got that he knows I don't like." She snorted. "Little brothers are the most annoying things in the world."

"I agree with you there," Leo murmured, drawing her into his plastron. "Little bros. Humph!"

"Hey!" Raph, Don, and Mikey protested. "We're not that bad."

"Uh huh. Of course not," Leo assured them sarcastically, rolling his eyes and running a hand down Beth's hair. "You agree with me, right, Eiladar?"

"Of course," she giggled, flicking his nose with a finger. "Let me go, now. I've got to scan one of these and send it to some of my friends. I'm sure some would love to come."

"Alright." Leo handed her a piece of paper he had in his wing and she put it face-down on the scanner as she sat at a computer.

"Leo, boot Computer 5 up and let's see if you still remember that trick I showed you. I want you to send this to some of the organizations around town. Try some news channels, too. The more the merrier." Beth was busy trying to get a page from the scanner as Leo cleared a chair and knelt on the floor, seeing as the chair wouldn't hold him.

Don watched as he quickly logged on under "Fisae" and used a few pencils easily to type. Even Donnie had trouble with human keyboards, and he had the nimblest fingers of the family! Except maybe Raph…

Mikey and Raph looked at each other, sighed, and started taking down the banners and cleaning up the floor from spare confetti Mikey had dropped accidentally. Don was trying to get Leo to see what he was sending all over the Internet, posting it online at sites even Donnie hadn't heard of, which was incredible! Beth was working diligently, and as she spun past Leonardo to grab something off another desk – a black book called "Passwords" – she looked over the sites he'd posted the thing on and nodded, giving him a peck on the cheek.

"Great. That's enough; that conference room is only big enough for about three hundred people. We'll have to ask them to contact us somehow."

"I've given them my e-mail," Leo said offhandedly. Don's jaw dropped; Leonardo didn't have an e-mail, he didn't need one. "Stop staring, Donnie. I've got an e-mail. It's for my work with Beth. People contact _me_ with their complaints, and I answer them as best I can. If I can't, I forward them to Beth. It works." Leo shrugged, opening a window for his mail. He had thirteen messages waiting, and he opened the first one before laughing.

"Beth, it's that strange dude from Eastwood. He claims he's got another "mutant roach" specimen. Wanna do the honors or should it?" Leo called across the room, letting Don read the screen quickly. A man was writing to "Mr. Jackson". The purple-banded turtle raised an eye ridge. _Well, it seems as though Leo's got his sights set for a wife here soon. _

"You can," Beth answered. "Alright. That should be enough. Raph, Mikey, get away from there!" She stopped the two curious turtles from peeking at the sheet of paper under the scanner. "It's a surprise!"

"Oooh, are you getting married?" Mike asked. Everyone was dead silent for a moment.

"Nooooo," Leo sighed, glaring at Mikey. "And _if_ Beth were getting married, you'd be hearing about it!"

"'Cause Leo'd beat the crap outta them," Raph chuckled. "Or it'd be him. So, what's so important anyway."

"Nothing," Leo and Beth answered at the same time. Beth nodded and forcefully pushed the turtles from the room with orders to make them some lunch. Leo replied to he messages he could, forwarding some to Beth and a couple to the trash bin for disposal.

He stood up – careful not to brace himself on her table – and shut down the terminal.

"We make quite the team," he sighed, gathering Beth's small form into his strong arms. "Mmm. You smell like strawberries."

"My shampoo," she mused. "Strawberry Fields."

"I like it. But why not _blue_berry?"

"Because my heart is stolen by _one_ blue thing and that is you, Fisae," she whispered, putting her hands on his sides. "It's good to have you here with me."

"I feel the same way," Leo assured Beth, kissing her gently along the top of her head, down her nose, and finally her mouth. His tongue explored the inside until they heard a crash of pots and an angry roar from Raph, destroying the moment.

"Aw, nuts," Leo smiled, brushing a lock of her black hair from Beth's eyes. "You're so beautiful."

"And you are my knight in shining armor," she promised, pressing closer. "I can't wait until other humans accept you. Then, maybe… We can have the life we dream of."

"Maybe." Leonardo grinned suddenly. "Why not? My father can make a marriage ceremony. We've got witnesses."

"L-Leo!" Beth gasped. "A-Are you sure? When everything could go into the drains so quickly?"

"I'm sure, Beth. You are my soul mate, Eiladar," Leonardo murmured, hands on her hips as he looked down at her. "You are my love."

"And you, mine," she said quickly. "But… Shouldn't we wait? Wait until you're accepted? Wait until you've gotten human rights?"

"We won't get that anytime soon, Beth. We may never get equal rights. I love you." He bent down and brushed his tongue against her lips. "I want us to be happy. This is going to be very stressful on my brothers and me. I'll need your help. I need you, Beth."

"I need you, too, Leo. I agree, though. We should have someone to lean on. If only you were a human. It would be legal!"

"So what if it isn't? We'll know we're married, my brothers'll know we're married, and the humans will just have to deal with it."

"I wish I had your confidence." She wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling herself up to face him eye-to-eye, legs around his waist to hold her up as well. Nuzzling her face into his neck, she was content to sit there for a moment, loving the feeling of being with her true love.

"Geez, am I stupid!" Leo suddenly cried. "That wasn't a proposal. Beth, love, wait for a few days. I need to call Master Splinter and see if he agrees. And then I have to find a ring."

"We don't need rings, Leo," she protested. He would hear none of it, though.

"We do, and we will, Beth!" he swore. "Just give me a couple days, okay?"

"Okay, if you insist. Should we tell your brothers?"

"No. For now, this'll be our little secret. After all, I wanna see the looks on their faces when I propose! Can you imagine?" Leo looked off into space happily. "Raph's jaw would hit the floor, I'm sure of it. Mikey'd be silent for a moment – a miracle! – and then he'd be all over us, ranting about "Leo juniors" and the food at the marriage ceremony. Don'd just stare, you know, that stare that says, "What the shell just happened?". And the Raph would just smile and start teasing us. He'd probably already be thinking about te consequences. And then Don'd wonder if we could even _have_ babies together. Ah, if only we could tape it all!"

"We can," Beth said micheviously. "But since you need to make it a surprise, we'll have to make do with our memories when we're old and stumbling around. Or will you live to be, like, two hundred years old or something?"

"No, as far as Don can tell, we'll all die around the same time we might if we were human. But maybe not; mutations are not the most widely studied topic in this world, and Don isn't a human scientist with access to resources beyond my wildest dreams!"

"Leo… You're funny." Beth laughed as she spoke, jumping down and stalking to the door. "Let's go get some lunch. I'm hungry." Leo followed his newly-made fiancé outside, smiling brightly to himself.

_Could this day get any better?_


	22. Idle Talk

Lunch was a gay affair with Mikey and Leo joking and laughing, Beth smiling all the while

Lunch was a gay affair with Mikey and Leo joking and laughing, Beth smiling all the while. Raph and Don cracked a few jokes on their brothers' behalf once or twice, but were mainly inclined to listen. Leonardo, they found, did very good imitations of anyone they could think of, and he liked playing ventriloquist. In fact, he made such a good "Mikey voice" that Raph thought the victimized turtle had actually said something mean, which sent him into a rage, chasing the innocent turtle until Leo intervened and told the truth.

"So, what were you two working on?" Don asked as they were clearing the plates. Leo shared a glance with Beth before answering.

"Something private," he responded mysteriously, rinsing the dishes and placing them into the dish washer. "None of your beeswax."

"Fine, be that way," Don grumped, walking out resolutely. Mikey was parked in front of the TV, Raph was sitting next to him, and they were fighting over the remote while keeping an eye on Leo and Beth in the kitchen.

When Beth almost slipped, Leo's tail shot out and wrapped around her waist, pulling her towards him. They both smiled and he released her, but not until he had stolen a quick kiss. Mikey wolf-whistled as Raph laughed loudly when Leo blushed, his tail twisting into a "fist" and flipping them off soundly.

A couple hours later, after Beth and Leo had done the dishes and watched some TV with Mikey and Raph, they went to pick up Lincoln. Don was working – with her permission – on Beth's computers.

Lincoln was ecstatic when he got home and immediately opened his folder. It was Friday, so they got a package to bring home, even though he was in high school, to their parents. Inside was one of Leo and Beth's fliers, which Raph snatched up and read quickly before the eldest could take it away.

"Leo," he growled. "What're you thinking? Calling a meeting like that? Why didn't you tell us? Why didn't you consult us first? Isn't it partly our decision?" Raph tossed the crumpled note towards Don, who had come down hearing the commotion.

"Yes, and I'm gong to give you the choice of going or not. I've decided; I'm going. If you don't want to, fine, that's your choice. But I am." Leo turned and helped Lincoln to his room, promising the younger teen that he could come to the meeting if he really wanted.

When he came back down, Raph, Don, and Mikey were waiting. Beth was in her room, they told him.

"Listen, Leo," Raph started, stepping forward with a slight nudge from Don. "I'm sorry I yelled. I know this is hard on you."

"It is hard on the family," Leonardo corrected, sweeping his brothers into a powerful hug. "But as long as we are together, we will overcome this hardship, too."

"So we will," he brothers vowed.

"Now, as long as we're together, I'll explain. Beth and I decided that it'd be best to call meetings to "learn more about the mutants". In reality, I will be in the shadows and helping Beth weed out the ones who will not keep our secret. Once we've got a good group, _then_ I'll show myself. It would help if Don or Mikey could come; you guys are the normal ones."

"I wanna come!" Mikey shouted instantly. "Pickmepickmepickmepickme!"

"Alright, Mikey, you can come with me on the last one. I don't want any more of us there at first that there needs to be."

"What if the Purple Dragons or Foot are waitin' outside to jump the humans when they get outta the conf'rence?" Raph asked.

"Good point, Raph," Leo applauded. "What do you propose we do?"

"Let us sit on the roof. If there's any trouble, we can scope it out and, if necessary, eliminate it," Raph planned, plain and simple. Mikey and Donnie chortled. "What?"

"You're picking up a bigger vocabulary, Raph," Mikey explained, still guffawing.

"Back to business," Leo scolded gently. "Raph, you and Don can take the roof. Mikey, I want you to stay here to guard Lincoln." Mike started to protest but Leo cut him off. "If the Purple Dragons or Foot get it into their heads to attack Beth's home because of what she's doing, you need to be here to help them escape or hide. Beth and I installed a few safety measure, which I'll walk you through as soon as you want to see them."

"How good are you with machines?" Don asked suspiciously.

"Not as good as you are. About half, I'd say, and that's only if I have instruction," Leo amended.

"Or motivation," Raph muttered.

"Hey!" Leo swatted him with his tail. "That was low."

"Well, so's keepin' this to ya-self!"

"I didn't know it was serious until a few weeks ago, and then all this started happening and it slipped my mind to tell you," Leonardo explained. "Besides, what if Beth _had_ ended up like Sam?"

"Sam? Who's that?" Don asked immediately.

Leo's face fell and he straightened, waving his hand. "She's of no importance." However, his brothers knew that he was lying; they saw it in his trembling wings. Raph was about to confront him when Don touched his wrist gently and stared into his eyes.

_Don't, _Don communicated through simple eye contact. _He will tell us when he's ready. Or we'll ask Beth about it._

Mikey, sensing the down moods, went into overdrive to cheer them up, announcing that they should have a movie marathon to celebrate their arrival at New York, the obviously-healthy relationship between Leo and Beth, and their fortune to have such an understanding family to help them.

Leonardo agreed, happy to change the subject. "Alright, but Mr. and Mrs. Jackson will be home around ten. Lincoln's bed time is ten, too. I'll ask Beth if we can use her theatre room."

"Say what?" Mikey asked as Leo jogged upstairs carefully, not really trusting the staircase to hold his weight. The only reason the elevator had held him was because it was going down, and even then, it dropped very quickly. He knew it wouldn't carry him back up, and he was already worried about the stairs as it was. Perhaps he and Donnie could give some extra support to it, and the sofa. It was hard to stand up all the time.

Maybe they could bring in the sofa from their living room. It was bigger, softer, and stronger. It could be their gift to the Jacksons for helping them in their time of need.

"Beth?" Leo called quietly, knocking on the door. He opened it to find Beth lying on her bed, taking a break from the computer. She looked up at his approach and smiled.

"Hey, Fisae. Need something?"

"Air, water, food, and you," he joked, putting his hand on her back and rubbing soothing circles on the slim figure gently. Beth grumbled with satisfaction as Leo slowly massaged her back. "Actually, I came up to see if we could use your theatre for a movie marathon. Would you let us and would you care to join us, fair lady?"

"I would, sir knight," she laughed. "And we may use the facilities you so mention."

"Your generosity knows no bounds," Leonardo commented, helping Beth stand up and then bowing deeply in jest. "You truly are the fairest lady in the land."

"And you, gallant knight, are the bravest soul I have yet met."

Leonardo rose from his bow with a smile on his face. "A knight with wings and horns? Surely, I must be the devil in disguise, or perhaps one of his minions."

"It is said that no devil can stand the kiss of a lady fair."

"Then shall we see whether I am devil or not?" Like a cheesy play, Leo grabbed Beth's waist and bent over her, lips firmly locked together.

"Ya know," a voice drawled from the doorway, "that could possible go into Planet's Cheesiest Home Videos and win first place."

Leo ignored Raph, prolonging their kiss until Raph snorted and walked away. Only then did the winged turtle let Beth stand up and both were laughing.

"I have an idea," Beth said. "For the conference, you know? We could let them talk to you, instead of you just standing there."

"I like that idea. I'd hate for the humans to think we're stupid or un-intelligent. The first time one of us speaks, I can guarantee they'd freak out if we seemed stupid before that. And if we do get accepted, Donnie will probably become a major scientist. He's so smart… Raph would probably start playing guitar, Mikey'd start a recording studio like he's always wanted to do."

"What would you do?" Beth asked quietly.

"Me? I don't know. Probably keep the family together. Convince Master Splinter that the humans were not raised like we were. Or at least, most of the weren't."

"What would be the one thing you'd want to do, just for yourself?" Beth inquired, pressing her hand over Leo's heart. He put his arms on her shoulders.

"I'd start my own family, Beth," he answered softly. "I'd marry you."

Happy in the knowledge that nothing would tear them apart now, Leo and Beth rejoined their brothers to show them to the video room. It was in the basement, used mainly for parties or shows. Since Beth's family was not challenged financially, they had the luxury of having a huge screen TV, one that Mikey drooled over.

"Dude…" he kept muttering as he looked through the thousands of DVDs. They had agreed that Mikey could pick first, since he was itching to try out the "TV from heaven".

Beth was sitting on Leo's lap, who in turn was sitting on the floor on a comfortable carpet that had memory foam underneath it to make it even cushier. Raph and Don were on the couch, and Mikey was going to sprawl across the biggest armchair in the room, as soon as he picked a movie.

"I like this one!" he announced finally, popping a disk into the player without letting his brothers see what he had picked. The music for _Pirates of the Caribbean_ sounded, and Raph let out a groan. Mikey _loved_ this movie; he'd probably be saying the lines right along with the movie.

Mikey was about to sit next to Leo when he noticed that Leo was busy nuzzling the back of Beth's neck. He sighed to himself. _When did _she_ become the Kalian, Leo? _Mikey asked his brother without saying anything. Leo didn't look up as Mikey sat on the armchair dejectedly, paying the movie half of his attention. His eyes were on Leo and Beth, something Donnie and Raph noticed but Leo didn't.

Don shared a glance with Raph, who punched his left palm with his right fist. Using that as an answer, Donnie peered at Mikey, who was sadly watching the movie without his usually enthusiasm.

_When I can, I'll talk to Leo, _Don thought with resolve. Mikey was Leo's Kalian, and just because Leo was reunited with his loved one, that didn't mean he could ignore the brother who had helped him so much.

Raph glared at his elder brother's metal shell, reading the screen there angrily. It showed high levels of happiness and love; more importantly, it showed that Leo was enjoying being with Beth and not caring about the fact that his Kalian was sitting all alone. Raphael growled quietly; he'd talk to Leonardo later. He didn't want to make a scene in front of Beth and Mike; it could se them at odds, or just make the situation _damn_ uncomfortable.

Raph sighed. _Bro, you've fallen for this girl hard. But you've forgotten about your brothers in the process._


	23. A Talk and Apology

When Pirates of the Caribbean ended, Leo yawned and stretched his wings gently

When _Pirates of the Caribbean_ ended, Leo yawned and stretched his wings gently. Mikey got up, took the DVD out of the player, and put it back on the shelf. With a fake smile, he asked who was next. Don decided that Raph should choose, and Raph flicked through the DVDs while Mikey took his spot on the sofa, to his chagrin.

He put in _The Gods Must be Crazy_ and sat between Don and Mike as the menu played. Leo reached over, pushing the "play" button on the player, and sat back again, adjusting himself so that he could see over Beth's head, who was nearly asleep in his lap. Gently, he stood up with her in his arms and nodded goodnight to his brothers.

"It's been a long day for her," he whispered, glancing at her beautiful face. "I'm gonna put her to bed, and then I'll be back down. Don't stop the movie for me; I've seen it plenty of times."

Then he was gone, whisking his loved one away with tender care. Mikey winced slightly as the door closed gently. Raph noticed and silently put his arm over his little brother's shoulders, hugging him slightly.

When Leo came back in, he found Mikey asleep in Raph's grip. A flash of jealousy shot through him; what was Raph doing with his Kalian?

"I'll put him to bed, too," Leonardo said icily, grabbing Mikey from Raph. The two seated turtles stared at his shell as he left, noticing that it was flashing the symbol that Leo was jealous. Donnie and Raphael snickered when he was out of ear shot.

"That takes care of that," Don sighed, leaning against his brother contentedly.

"I'm still gonna talk t' him," Raph snorted. "Mikey needs him as much as he need Mikey, and maybe even more so!"

"Well… Okay… I agree. Leo should know better than to have ignored Mikey in the first place."

The door opened and Don got ready to hit the pause button as soon as Leo was seated. When their winged brother walked in, he looked thoughtful, but he sat down anyway and watched as the actors ran around on the screen.

Raph slid a hand across his throat, signaling for Donnie to pause the movie. Without hesitation, the purple-clad turtle did so, and crossed his arms as Leo bent around to look at them.

"Bathroom break?" he asked predictably, smiling. That was soon dropped, however, as he saw the angry expressions on Raphael and Don's face. "What?"

"Leo, we need to talk," Don said calmly, his brown eyes unreadable. "You've been ignoring Mikey, caught up with Beth and your relationship."

Raph took up the accusation before Leonardo could say anything. "Yeah. Mikey's downright depressed because of how you've just blown him off the charts. Beth's a great gal, Leo, really, but you can't give her all your attention. Mikey was the one who kept you on your feet during your change. He's your bond brother, your Kalian. And yet, you seem to have forgotten that."

"I… I didn't even realize," Leo whispered, scooting around to face them and pulling his knees up to his plastron, arms wrapped around his legs. "Is he really that bad?"

"Yeah, bro," Donnie said sympathetically. "I think, tomorrow, you and Mikey should go out, you know, a training run or something. At least spend some time with him. He's really sad… And a little jealous, I think."

"I-I will," the winged turtle promised, looking down at his hands. "I hope he can forgive me. I've been too caught up with all the preparations for the meeting, introducing you guys to the Jacksons, and enjoying the fact that I can be with Beth in the open, or at least, in regard to you all."

"That's all we wanted to know, Leo," Don asserted quietly. "Just that you'd try talking to Mikey."

"I will, and I'll apologize while I'm at it." The big turtle yawned widely. "Oof. I'm in for hitting the hay. Good night, brothers."

"'Night, Leo," they said, returning to the movie like nothing had happened. Chuckling, the blue-masked brother stepped out of the room, heading for Beth's. Inside, she was just changing into PJs, and he quickly closed the door behind him as he walked in, settling on the couch.

Humming a random song, he watched avidly as Beth walked over, a pair of blue silk pajamas on, and got into bed next to him.

"Decided the movie was too much?" she mumbled, pressing close to his plastron.

Leo grunted affirmative, wings covering her and pulling his love closer. "I love you," he muttered, nuzzling her cheek. She chuckled slightly and started drifting off, mumbling the same three words.

_The next morning…_

"Mikey?" a voice called, waking the sleeping turtle. Mike opened his eyes to find Leo peering at him anxiously, a hand on his shoulder.

"What?" he asked sleepily.

"I wanted to say I'm sorry," Leonardo whispered. Mikey woke up more, sitting up on the couch. He peered at the clock; six a.m. _Shell… _

"For what?"

"I ignored you when we got here," Leo explained. "I was so caught up with Beth, I forgot about you and how much I love you."

"I'll forgive you if you stop waking me up at six every morning," Mikey chuckled.

"I think that's fair. Mind if I sleep on the floor? Beth's still asleep and I'd rather not wake her. She's not one you would want to wake up before she's ready." Leonardo shuddered.

"Go ahead. Is she like Raph?"

"No…" Leo wouldn't say more on the topic, merely lying down and saying that they should sleep until everyone else was up and about.

A few minutes later, Mikey sighed and crawled over to Leo, cuddling his elder brother as he squiggled his way into Leo's wing. It snapped open more to hold him before drawing tightly into a prison-like blanket.

_Later that morning_

Raph grunted as he stretched, letting out a deep breath. Looking around, he realized that he and Don had fallen asleep during _The Gods Must Be Crazy 2_, which was the movie Raphael picked.

A weight against his right side shifted, and he peered down at Donnie's just-waking form. Sleepily, the purple-marked turtle opened his eyes and stirred, sitting up with a yawn. "Good morning."

"Good morning. This couch sure is comfy. I wonder where everyone is."

"Leo and Beth are probably in her room, Lincoln in his, Mr. and Mrs. Jackson are probably in their room, where ever that is, and Mikey's on the couch," Donnie guessed.

"I bet so," the red-banded turtle chortled. "Wanna get some breakfast?"

"Surely. I'm hungry enough to eat a horse," Don alleged. "How're you feeling?" He had noticed that the skin around Raph's fledging wings was red and sore.

"Better. It doesn't hurt so much anymore. And I can kinda feel 'em," Raph said, rolling his shoulders as he stood. His wings twitched slightly, folding and unfolding.

"Well, by the rate these are growing in, you should be done within a month," Don expected, measuring the little stubs with a hand. "They're about a foot long now."

"Wow. Are they feathery or more like Leo's?"

"Neither. They're bat wings," Don answered, pulling one open and inspecting the membrane. "Thinner than Leo's wings, lighter weight, and lighter bones. His are hollow, but they're very thick around that hollow space."

"What's that mean in terms of flying?"

"He can crash safely; if you do, you'd probably cripple yourself." Don carefully replaced the wing and turned off the TV and DVD player.

"Joy," Raph grunted sarcastically. "Let's eat; I'm hungry."

"I'm with you there."

They headed upstairs to find Mikey and Leo sprawled on the floor, the former in the latter's wing, snoring contentedly. Raphael's snort woke Leo, who looked at them, then down at Mikey, before smiling widely.

"I see you've made up," Don said dryly, walking past. Leo pushed himself to his feet and followed; Mikey whined from the loss of a "blanket" and reached around in his sleep until Raph poked him in the side with his foot.


	24. Ninja Breakfast

"Mikey, wake up," Raph commanded

"Mikey, wake up," Raph commanded.

"Go 'way!" Mikey groaned, rolling over.

"Wakey wakey, Mikey!" Raphael bent down and picked their little brother up, dragged his protesting body into the kitchen, and sat him into a seat at the table. Then, the red-banded turtle opened the freezer, grabbed an ice cube, and sauntered back towards Mike, a big grin on his face.

"Raph!" Leo's voice admonished just as Raph was poised with the ice cube near the back of Mikey's neck. "Don't. Let him sleep."

"Yeah, Raph," a little voice agreed, coming from the orange-loving turtle. "Leo here got me up at six to apologize; let me sleep a little, huh?"

"Dude, you need to work on your deliveries," Raph grumbled as he threw the ice cube into the sink with the accuracy born of ninja training. "If you _ever_ woke me up at six when we don't have training, I'd kick your shell from here to Jersey!"

"I doubt that, considering your size and the subsequent size of Leonardo," Don chuckled.

"Shut it, brainiac," Raph smiled, grabbing plates and setting the table for the four brothers.

"I'm gonna go get Beth if she's up," Leo said. Mikey perked up, sat up, and made smoochy faces at Leo as the turtle turned. "Cut that out, Mikey. You don't kiss like that."

"No, but you got pretty close there yesterday," Raph chortled. "I mean, that was the _lamest_ acting I've ever seen."

"Let's see you act and we'll judge who's best," Leo challenged gleefully, waving a hand as he walked upstairs, staying near the railing.

"If we stay here long, we're gonna need to reinforce that," Don muttered. "And the sofa. You do realize he hasn't sat down once?"

"Can we get our old sofa from the lair?" Mikey asked. "Please? We could give it to them for helping us. We'd just need to clean it up a little."

"I like that idea. It is bigger," Don mulled. "Alright. Raph, wanna help us move the sofa in?"

"Sure, why not? I've got nothin' better t' do."

"You know, you keep slipping from a pattern of speech reminiscent of mine to one more like your old self," Don observed.

"Yes. And?"

"Nothing. Just pointing it out."

"I like it," Mike insisted. "He sounds like a two-sided coin. One's all, "I'm gonna beat you up if you look at me" and the other's all like, "I like Donnie, I wanna act like Donnie". Come on, Raphie, pick a side."

"I pick… Beating Mikey to a pulp!" Raph chased his little brother around the table until Leo came in, threw his wings out, and stopped them both. At his side was Beth, rubbing sleep from her eyes.

"Calm down. Mr. and Mrs. Jackson are still sleeping."

"Morning, Beth," Don welcomed, opening the fridge. "Anything you want?"

"Nah. I'm going out to breakfast; I wanna see if Maurine's got any subscribers to the meeting. Anyone wanna come?"

"Nah. Raph, Mikey, and I are going to go grab something from the lair. It takes us all to lift it now, thanks to Giant Turtle over there," Don snorted.

"I'll go," Leo offered, letting Raph and Mikey out of his wings' clutches. "You need protection if the Purple Dragons find out about you running this meeting. Or worse, the Foot."

Beth shuddered, probably at an old memory. Don smiled as he found the eggs, tossing them to Mikey. The human gasped and rushed forward, but Mikey caught them deftly.

"You've never seen ninjas start breakfast, huh?" Raph snickered. "Check this out. Mikey, over here!"

Mikey lobbed an egg to Raph, who caught it in two fingers and, without losing momentum, hurled it to Don, whose Bo staff whipped out, gently grabbing the egg from the air. It didn't even crack; a testament to how careful Donnie was being.

"Alright, bros, that's enough," Leo chuckled. "You're scaring Beth. Not to mention, you haven't got the rest of that trick down yet."

"Aw, doesn't Leo want to play?" Mikey whined, nodding to Don. "Eat egg!"

Don lobbed the egg at Leo, hard, and his immediately response was to open a wing and catch it tenderly.

"Come on, you didn't do the whole ninja thing," Mikey whined.

"What ninja thing?" Beth asked. Leo glared at Mikey before tossing Don the egg.

"Alright, try it again," Leo sighed, to the cheers of Mikey. Donnie threw the egg, slower this time, and Leo sprang onto his hands, feet lifting. His toes caught the egg, just barely. Walking on his hands, he brought it over to Mikey, who was grinning like a fool.

"Wow!" Beth exclaimed as Leo flipped back onto his feet. Mikey chuckled, washed the egg off, and cracked it for an omelet. "You guys are really cool!"

"I'm the best lookin'," Mikey said, predictably. "And I'm the-"

"Don't you say it!" Raph growled.

"Battle Nexus CHAMPION!" Mikey squealed as Raph ran for him again, and this time, Leo let Raph catch the youngest turtle.

"The what?" Beth asked Leo as Raph rolled on the floor with a squiggling Mike.

"Don't ask," Leo groaned. "Let's go. Raph won't hurt him," he added when Beth glanced at the pair of brothers wrestling. Don smacked them both with his Bo, saying that the eggs were burning and that Mikey needed to tend them or he'd ask Leo to. That got them up faster than light, and Mikey was soon whistling again over the stove.

"You're that bad?" Beth asked Leo quietly as the turtle put on his trench coat.

"Apparently," Leo shrugged, opening the door and waving Beth through. "I've always had bad luck in the kitchen. Only thing I do well is make tea."

"Hm. You're good enough with machines, even if you do tweak something the wrong way every time you get near it."

"Hey! I'm not a rocket scientist," Leo objected. "Besides, that wasn't my fault. You were tickling me!"

"I was not," Beth gasped as if angry but the twinkle in her eyes was all too familiar. "I was just sitting next to you. Your side happened to be pushing against my fingers!"

"Oh, suuuure." Leo grinned at the exasperation on Beth's face. "That's what they all say."

"You're funny," Beth laughed sarcastically. "Come on, I wanna go here. It's got a dark corner," she added when Leo hesitated in front of the café. "It's a really nice place. Come on, please?"

"Oh, alright," Leo sighed dramatically. "Anything for you."

"Damn straight," she said as seriously as she could, but her smile ruined her tough words. "Alright, come on!" She tugged him into the small breakfast joint, sitting them in the back corner. Leo kept his head down and tried to stand as straight as he could. His wings were uncomfortably close to his shell under his coat, and they wanted to jump open when a human headed towards their table. He relaxed as she pulled out a notepad and asked for their order.

"I'll have a pancake special with strawberries and syrup, please," Beth ordered. She looked at Leo, who was trying to hide his hands while he looked at the menu.

"I'll have an English muffin, lightly toasted, with butter," he finally decided, pushing the menu towards the waitress, who picked it up with a large smile and scurried away to place their order. Leonardo breathed out carefully. "That went better than I thought."

"I like this place because she always waits on me, and she's half blind," Beth whispered. "She wouldn't be able to really see you anyway; she'd just assume you were an African-American."

"You've been waiting to take me here, huh?"

"Of course! And after the meeting, maybe you can come as you truly are." Beth's voice dropped in sorrow. "Until then, though, I'm gonna have to tell every police man who comes up that you're not a stalker who's following me, you've just got a really bad complexion and you're waiting until the plastic surgeon can re-do your skin."

"Hey!" he protested. "My complexion is not _that _bad!"

"Leo, you're black and scaly. That's not a great complexion for a human _or_ a turtle."

"It's fine for a dragon," Leo grumped happily. "Ah, here we are!" The waitress came back with their food, amazingly quick. He looked around and saw that most of the occupants had left; there were two other tables being used, filled with three or four men who talked quietly.

He buttered his English muffin and took a bite, excited that he was actually in the human world, eating at a human café… The food was good, too, and his water was fresh. Across from him, Beth had taken a large bite of pancake and was trying to choke it down without making it seem too obvious she was having some trouble.

"You should have a turtle beak," he recommended. She glared at him. "Hey, I'm just sayin'. I could fit that whole pancake in my mouth at once!"

"Good for you," Beth mumbled around her mouthful. "Now shut up!"

He chuckled and finished his muffin, feeling full from the small meal. He waited until Beth was done before they stood up to pay at the register. That's when the trouble began.


	25. Alley Fight

Leo's neck prickled like it did when he sensed danger. Under the guise of peering back at their table to make sure he hadn't left anything, he scanned the room's occupants. Three men at a table were staring at him, or more precisely, at Beth. He growled to himself but merely stood in their way, putting his arm around Beth's waist to tell the humans eyeing her to _back off_ unless they wanted to fight him.

He was big enough that they shouldn't have tried, but then one got up and came towards them. With a sharp nudge, he alerted Beth and reached into his coat, gripping that handle of one katana for comfort.

"Let's go," Leo whispered to Beth, who quickly handed the woman the cash.

"Keep the change."

And they were walking out of the café together, Leo putting his arm around Beth's shoulders comfortingly. The bell dinged behind them again; Leonardo glanced back and found that the three men were following.

"Leo…" Beth whispered chokingly.

"We'll be fine, love," Leonardo assured his loved one. "You're with a teenage mutant ninja turtle-dragon. What could happen?"

"Any number of things," Beth sighed. "Let's get to the hospital."

"Okay." Leo picked up his pace and Beth hurried along next to him. The three men were joking now, keeping up, and whistling at the human female. Leonardo had just about lost it when a group appeared in front of them, staring straight at Beth again.

"Alright, I've had enough," Leo snorted. "Into the alley, Beth. I'll deal with them; you get a hiding place."

Numbly, Beth nodded and followed the turtle-dragon into the alleyway, where she soon hid behind a smelly dumpster. _Ugh,_ she thought. _Well, at least I'm safe. For the most part. _

Leonardo melted into the shadows next to her, and she couldn't hear him or see him at all. The men soon came in, revealing their numbers. The leader was Dragon Face, the Purple Dragon's right-hand man for Hun.

"Oh, girl-_ee_," he crooned loudly into the dark. "Come out, come out, where ever you are!"

"Don't make this hard on yourself," another man snickered. "We're just your friendly mail deliverers."

"What message?" Leo's voice asked, dark and sinister. Beth felt her blood run cold when she heard it.

"None of your business, old man," one of the other humans spat.

"I think it is," the turtle growled, stepping into the light with his katanas unsheathed and held out readily. "Now, get away from Beth and stay away."

"Ha! It's one to fifteen. How lucky do you think you are?" Dragon Face laughed, pulling a gun from his waist. He leveled it at Leo, who didn't even flinch. Beth put her hands against her mouth in fear.

Some of his "friends" did the same while the rest ringed around him. Leo merely smirked.

"You really want to fight me?" he snarled. "Fine." Shrugging off his trench coat, he flung his wings wide open, knocking some of the men down and startling the rest.

A shot rang off, followed closely by others. Beth couldn't help it; she screamed as metal was heard hitting metal. She couldn't look anymore, convinced she'd see Leo lying on the ground, bleeding to death.

However, Leo was fine. In fact, he was just finishing off the last of the ones who had ringed him and turned to face the gun-wielding others. Dragon Face shot him again, hitting his dense plastron.

"What the hell's wrong with you?" the human screamed, firing off shots. "You're a freak!"

"A bullet-proof one," Leonardo chuckled.

"We'll see about that," a shorter man yelled, aiming at Leo's head. He shot, but the turtle was already in action, lopping off the gun's muzzle before sticking his katana in the man's gut and pulling it out swiftly.

Another shot rang out, but this one hit Leo dead in the shoulder… Unprotected and vulnerable.

_Damn,_ Leo thought as he gasped. _I'm way too cocky._

Beth opened her eyes when all went silent after a few more screams. Leo was kneeling in the alley, one hand clamped over his shoulder, the other pulling out his Shell Cell. Crying out in fear, the woman ran over to the turtle's side and applied pressure to the wound.

"Hold still," she scolded tearfully when he tried to bring the Shell Cell to his ear. "Let's get you to my office and then we'll call the bros."

"Okay," he agreed. His voice was hoarse with suppressed pain as he gathered his fallen katanas and slipped them into their sheaths attached to his sides. He then pulled the trench coat one, slipping a jacket from one of the unconscious men onto his shoulder to soak up the blood.

"Come on," she whispered. They hurried to the hospital, which was only a few blocks away. By the time they got there, Leo was nearly stumbling with the pain and loss of blood. She sat him in her office and ran for Maurine.

"Hey, Beth!" the other woman cried happily. She looked concerned, however, when she saw the blood on Beth's chest and the tears in her eyes. "What's wrong?"

"My office, quick! Leo's been shot!"

Maurine gasped and fled with Beth to the office where Leo was sitting on the floor, applying pressure to the ugly wound in his shoulder. His trench coat and an extra jacket Maurine didn't recognize were sitting on the floor next to him, carefully arranged to keep his blood from the carpet.

"Hey," he greeted weakly, his wings slumping on either side of him. Beth ran back out for some supplies, trying to look like someone in her office – a human – had just cut himself on her… stapler. _Sure, like they'll believe that. Good thing I'm so inconspicuous here._

When she came back, Maurine was pushing Leo's wound closed, her chest stained with his dark red blood. The turtle himself looked ready to pass out, and the large amount of blood being soaked up by a few towels set under his shoulder made a testament that he needed help, fast!

Leo was lying down, breathing shallowly, when Beth knelt by his head. He cracked open his eyes and grinned at her.

"I guess… I shouldn't… uh!... Underestimate humans?" the young mutant managed to say quietly.

"Shush, Leo," she cooed gently, nodding to Maurine who removed her hands. She inspected the wound and found the bullet, lodged in his wing bone. Sighing, she grabbed a pair of tweezers and handed them to Maurine as she pulled the skin apart more. The paleness of Leo's scales scared her.

"Alright, Leo, try not to scream. This is going to hurt," Maurine promised, reaching in with her tweezers and trying to grasp the bullet. Leonardo didn't even twitch, but his lips thinned in pain. "Aha!" She pulled a bloody piece of metal from the injury and Beth let the skin go so it could squelch back together.

"Damn," Beth whispered. The cut was pumping blood at an alarming rate. "Maurine, get the sutures ready. I'm gonna clean this up a bit." The brown-haired woman nodded, threading needles with dissolvable stitches. Beth bent over Leo's shoulder, being a gentle as she could as she swiped away alley dirt and sweat.

Once done, she quickly sewed the hole together and bound Leo's shoulder in many gauze bandages before pinning his wing down as well. Maurine held Leo's hand tightly as the turtle tried not to whimper from pain.

"There we go. You should be fine in a couple weeks, Leo," Beth whispered, kissing him gently. "Until then, take it easy."

"I will," he promised in a quiet whisper. "Ugh… Can I go to sleep now?"

"Sure." Leo fell limp in their grasp immediately, his breathing slowing and his face relaxing, though not much. Leonardo always slept with a guarded look on his face, as if expecting attacks from anywhere even while he slept.

"Thanks for helping me," Beth gushed to Maurine, who waved her away with a ticking sound.

"Tch. It was my pleasure. He's really strong, to take our cleaning that wound and stitching it without medication."

"He grew up like that," Beth whispered, looking down at her loved one. "His brothers grew up in the sewers, so they got hurt easily. Leonardo was almost impervious to infection, though, which was good. His immune system is about three times better than his brothers'. I've checked."

"Wow. So, how did you first meet?"

"Later, Maurine. I need to call his brothers now. They'll be worried sick when they hear, but we can't move him until he wakes up."

"I noticed he was heavy. He's what, seven foot five?"

"Yeah, and he weighs almost a thousand pounds with those wings and all. A little over, actually."

"Geez." Maurine whistled. "He's so graceful, though."

"A ninja to the core," Beth sighed. "He and his brothers were trained to fight like ninjas. They're pretty freaking good, too. Leo here caught an egg in his toes without cracking it, and then brought it to Mikey, his youngest brother, while walking on his hands! He's the best of the four, though they resent that sometimes." Beth took out the Shell Cell from Leo's belt. "They use these to contact each other. They're called Shell Cells, and they _only_ work in short distances, to avoid being detected and all."

Beth dialed her home's phone number, hoping Mikey or Don would pick up and not Raph.

"Jacksons," a gruff voice answered on the other line after it rang once. Beth sighed; it was Raph. 


	26. Healing

"Hey, Raph," Beth said

"Hey, Raph," Beth said. "Can I talk to Donnie?"

"Why?"

"Just put him on," the woman snapped, not about to tell Raph that Leo had been shot. Knowing the hothead, he'd probably trash the place, go out looking for trouble and getting hurt, or rush over and get himself seen.

"Hello?" Don's voice asked after a slight shuffled.

"Donnie, please don't freak out," Beth begged.

"O-Okay, but you've got to tell me what it is I can't freak out about." She could hear his worry in his tone.

"Leo's been shot," she said shortly. Shortly, she heard cursing from Raph, who had probably heard or guessed from the look on Don's face. "He's okay, we've sewed him up, but he's lost a lot of blood. Right shoulder, and the bullet was lodged in his wing joint. We got it out."

"We?"

"Maurine's a friend of mine and Leo's. She helped. We weren't seen by anyone. Anyway, he's passed out now and we can't move him. Can you send Mikey over to help us? We're gonna let Leo stay here for a while, and then we'll need Mikey to help him back home. I'm too small, and Maurine can't leave."

"Okay, Beth. Thanks for helping him," Don said gratefully.

"You kidding? He got shot by some Purple Dragons coming after _me_. Why wouldn't I help? Never mind, just send Mikey over and keep Raph inside. Knowing Leo, he'd blame himself if Raph went out and got seen or hurt someone."

"Alright. Mikey'll be there in a moment. Do you have any trench coats?"

"Yeah, Leo's spare one is in the hall closet. There's some hats he can choose from, too. Thanks, Don. Gotta go!"

She hung up and replaced the Shell Cell, looking at Maurine. "His younger brother's going to come over to watch him. I want to call this into the authorities, I'll just say I was threatened. Can you stay here until Mikey comes in?"

"Sure." Beth nodded and walked out, closing the door swiftly behind her. They had drawn the curtains, and everyone was so busy they didn't notice that she came out of the dark room.

_A few minutes later…_

The door to the office opened and shut quickly. Maurine looked up, right into the face of another turtle. He was much smaller, had freckles, and wore an orange bandana. His eyes caught hers for a second and her heart fluttered.

_What the hell?_ she wondered to herself.

"Hey," he said quietly, looking at Leo with a sad gaze. "Thanks for helping Leo. I'm Mikey."

"Hello, Mikey. I'm Maurine. You're welcome for taking care of him; it was my pleasure."

"Well, thanks anyway. He's tough but he isn't bullet-proof. Well, his shell and plastron are, but not the rest of him." Mikey looked down at her with a brighter smile. "But anyway, I'm gonna wake him up. We need to get home; it's getting on towards noon and Raph, Don, and I have a project to work on."

"Okay." Maurine moved back, trying to keep herself from staring at the bright smile and twinkling eyes.

"Kavara, wake up," Mikey called softly, tapping Leo's wing. "Come on, Kavara. We just need to get you home and then you can rest again." Leo murmured in his sleep and opened his eyes.

"Kalian. What're you doing here?" he slurred, still very tired and weak.

"You were shot and Maurine and Beth bandaged you up, but I'm here to take you home. Beth'll be along soon." In fact, as he said this, Beth walked in the door, beaming at Leo when she saw he was awake.

"How are you, Fisae?" she asked quietly, touching his brow.

"Tired," Leo sighed. "But I can make it home. Shall we?"

Mikey tried to help Leonardo to his feet, but the turtle was just too big, so eventually Leo just rolled onto his left side and stood up gingerly. Beth gave him a sling – which she had lengthened and strengthened for him.

"Thanks," he said hollowly as she put his arm in the sling. He took a small step forward and nodded. "Let's get this show on the road."

Mikey picked up his bloody trench coat and put it on the turtle, since he had no other, and plopped the hat on his head. Beth and Maurine said goodbye to each other and walked out together, Beth holding the door for Leo, who walked slowly through with Mikey right behind him, both in the shadowed safety of their trench coats.

_A few minutes later…_

"Raph! Don!" Mikey called as he opened the door. His brothers sprang from the couch and jogged towards him and Leo, who was exhausted and walking like a weakling. He took off his trench coat with some help from Beth and Don gasped at the size of the bandage covering the bullet wound.

"Are you going to be okay?" Don wondered.

"I should be," Leo answered quietly, his voice hoarse. "I'm going to go lie down downstairs."

Beth escorted him downstairs as she filled in Don about what had happened. He looked thoughtful before Beth left again to check her e-mail. Leo lay down on the carpet with a sigh, closing his eyes.

"Leo, can I check the wound? You may have pulled some stitches, walking so soon."

"Sure."

Gently, Don knelt next to Leonardo's head and took his arm tenderly out of the sling before unwrapping the gauze and putting it aside for re-bandaging. He then took off the pad over the stitches and was amazed. The hole was huge; Leo had been shot at close range with pretty big gun, bigger than a cop's.

_At least it wasn't a shotgun,_ Donnie thought to himself. Raph and Mikey came up behind him and stared at the large wound, oozing blood and plasma.

"Is he okay?" Raph asked gruffly.

"I didn't clean the wound, but from what Beth told me, he should be fine. He just has to take it easy for a few weeks. We can help there. I've got some sedatives that should keep him down for a while. Speaking of which, how're your wings feeling, Raph?"

"Actually, better than they have in a long time," the hothead disclosed, amazed. "And I'm not drugged."

"That's a good sign. You may have stopped growing wings, or your body may be re-thinking the intelligence of adding nerves around the wings until they have grown in. Mikey, why don't you pick a movie? Leo needs some sleep, but he needs someone here to make sure he doesn't do anything stupid. Raph and I can grab the couch."

Mike chose a movie at random from a pile on the floor. It was obvious he had created this pile to be able to pick his favorite movies immediately. He turned it on, keeping the volume down, as his brothers left.

About half-way through _Ghost Rider_, Leo stirred. Mikey paused the movie and went to his side instantly.

"H-Hey," Leo groaned, opening his eyes. "How 're you?"

"Leo, you were just shot and you're asking me how I am?" Mikey huffed. "Typical." Dryly, Leo chuckled and then winced when his wound was pulled on a result. "Stop moving. I'm here to make sure you lie down for a while. You lost quite a bit of blood, bro."

"Is Beth safe?" Leo asked.

"Huh? Yeah, she is. She's upstairs. Want me to get her?"

"Nah, she's probably working on something amazingly complex," Leonardo sighed lovingly. "Where are Raph and Don?"

"They're picking up the couch from the lair. It'll be nice to have you be able to sit so Beth doesn't have to sit on the floor," Mike chuckled. Leo sensed, though, that he wasn't entirely happy with the idea of Beth being in Leo's wing instead of himself.

"Hey, Mikey, did Donnie say how long it would be until I can walk around easily?"

"Not really… Why?"

"'Cause when I do, I want to take you somewhere I think you'll like. Just us," he added when Mikey scrunched his face.

"Why?" Leo knew it was a loaded question. This was Mikey's way of telling him that the orange-banded turtle wanted to know why Leonardo was paying attention to him now, and why the leader hadn't said anything about inviting Beth.

"Because I realized that I've been spending a lot of time with Beth and kinda ignoring you. And I shouldn't do that; you were the one who saved me from losing myself to these changes, and you were the one to convince me to ask the Ninja God for my soul."

"But Master Splinter did that," Mike whispered.

"Mikey, I want you to listen to me," Leo said. "When I met the Ninja God the first time, I gave him my soul to protect you. Yes?" Mikey nodded. "I was content without it; I was a better warrior, stronger turtle, without such emotions and personality. However, when you showed me how much it hurt you to find out, it told me that, really, I was being selfish."

"Never! Leo, you're never selfish! You're the most self-_less_ person I've ever met."

Leonardo chuckled dryly at that. "When we were young, Mikey, you and I always competed to see who could prank the best. Remember?" Again, the young turtle nodded. "When we got older, your creativity starting winning. You'd prank me so badly, I didn't know what to do for retaliation because I was scared it would seem like an amateur. When I was presented with this opportunity to protect you three, I thought that I would finally have an excuse why I wasn't as creative. Also, after I was named leader, you kind of… Stopped playing with me so much. We drifted apart a little, not as far as Raph and I, but still… It hurt, Mikey, when you kept showing me that I was now "different", the "Almighty One". So when He offered to take that pain away, I accepted. I couldn't bear to think of what might happen in a few years. Back then I thought we'd all drift apart, or at least, I'd drift apart from you. So I decided that I had to make it painless."

"It worked, didn't it?" Mikey asked quietly, tears in his eyes. "Leo, I'm so sorry I hurt you!"

"Shush, Mikey," Leo crooned as Kalian grabbed Leo's good side in a strong hug. "It's okay. I'm fine once more."

"Well… Okay…"

_It took a good three days before Leo was moving under his own willpower, in which time he and Mikey strengthened their bond. Beth and Leo's bond was just as strong, but Leo didn't feel pulled either way. Don and Raph practically tore the house down as they strengthened the supports and stairs, gave a boost to the elevator so that it would now hold Leo, and replaced the furniture with what they could from the untouched lair. It seemed as though many humans had explored the main cavern but not gotten anywhere else, so Donnie spent a lot of time on his experiments still in his lab._

_When the day of the meeting rolled around, Leo's shoulder was still in a bandage, and his arm was in a sling, but he and Mikey accompanied Beth all the same. They got to the conference room – a larger place, since Beth had discovered that almost a thousand people wanted to attend – an hour before it started and hid themselves behind the blackboards at the front. This was actually in a learning center, a larger room meant for teaching a great number at a time, or for whole-staff meetings. Beth had gotten the head of the building to allow her to use it for free, and as a result, she had a board on which to write down topics of discussion and such._

_Leo and Mikey hid like the ninja they were as humans trickled in. Leo's sense of wrongness was spiking as close to nine hundred men and women came in, but he forced it down. After all, this meeting would be going on all day and Beth would be able to weed out the mutant-haters or ones who might spill their secret before the day was up. And then, the remaining humans would be told that the next meeting would be held in this room in two days. That would be when Leo and Mikey were introduced to the humans… And hopefully, when the turtles would make some allies…_

**A/N: Well, how is it so far? I might take a little longer with the next one, just so you know. I'm trying to type a 7,500 word fiction for the National Nimrod Contest and send it in… By April 30****th****! I hope I can make it, but I couldn't do anything until I finished with this one. So, leave a review but know it might take a while for the next one to come out. If I win this thing, I get money, publication, and a trip to the Award Ceremony. I'm really hoping to win! Wish me luck!**


	27. The Conference

"Well…" Beth cleared her throat nervously

"Well…" Beth cleared her throat nervously. "You all know why we're here. We've joined together to discuss the "Mutant Menace". I do not believe we should call it that, however." She paused and looked over her enraptured audience. "I have it on the best authority that these poor beings were attacked in their own home. An entire SWAT team blew up the entrance to their home in the sewers and attacked them. They were right to retaliate, I say! We did not try talking to them, we did not try looking for them and speaking to them humanely. Instead, we went in, guns blazing, and attacked creatures who would probably have been all too happy to join us in the upper world."

A young man raised his hand. From his lookout behind the board, Leo recognized the man as Steve Martin, one of the men on the plane he and his brothers had saved when they were in upper New York.

"Yes?" Beth asked carefully, fiddling with her pen. Leo wanted to reach out and comfort her, but he knew he couldn't risk being seen yet.

"I have a story," he said quietly. "I was saved by these mutants." Several gasps and skeptical cries sounded. Beth, though, was happy to give the floor over to Steve.

"I'm Steve Martin," he introduced. "I was on a plane a while ago, heading for New York. Our right wing exploded, and out cockpit was fried. The pilots died, and several passengers were injured. One man's arm was nearly cut off, and a baby girl had a piece of metal hit her chest.

"We were gliding, thanks to the stuck controls up front, when a mutant turtle named Hamato Leonardo came into the cabin through the hole in the side. He had wings, a tail, horns, and scales but was very friendly. His wings were huge and black, and he stood about six feet tall, but he was so graceful and deadly at the same time… I knew I would never want to get on his bad side. He helped the little baby and she actually liked him a lot. As did a ten year old kid, Emily. She said later, to me, that she wished he could come home with her.

"Anyway, he tended to our wounded as best he could, and then another mutant popped in, a giant humanoid turtle like the first but without the draconic parts. His name was Donatello, and he was very smart. He was able to stop the old man's arm from bleeding, and even sewed it up so well that he now uses it without a problem.

"There were two others, Michelangelo and Raphael. Yes, they are all named after Renaissance masters. Leonardo is very graceful and charming, really. He carried two swords, too, and he moved like he could disappear at any moment, given half a second's notice. He wore a blue mask.

"Donatello had a wooden stick and a purple mask. He spoke softly and would seem timid if you didn't see how much like Leonardo he was. He moved with stealthy quiet… Like a ninja. I don't think I heard him approach anything. You had to see him to know he was there.

"Michelangelo wore an orange bandana and he was really funny. He was always cracking jokes, and by the way the others regarded him, he is the baby of the family. They are all brothers, by the way. He also knows a lot of comic books and superheroes, and is a pro at video games. He told me that they have little to do except pursue interests and patrol the city for danger.

"Then there is Raphael. I didn't really understand him; he seemed like a tough guy on the exterior, but he was really soft. When Emily pestered Leonardo, he had this look in his eyes… You could tell that he would die rather than see harm come to any of his family or us, because he was protecting us then, too. Also, he is apparently afraid of bugs. Michelangelo was happy to point that one out to me when Leonardo left the cabin to rescue Raphael from a spider in the cargo hold.

"In all, they seemed like normal humans, except in appearance. I am glad they saved us, and I am doubly glad I could come here today and tell you all about it!" he beamed, finally done with the narrative.

"That's amazing!" a woman cried. "You actually saw them?"

"I touched them," he added smugly. "I shook hands with Leonardo." He took his seat again and Beth rose from her seat behind the desk in front of the chalkboards.

"Well, thank you for that presentation, Mr. Martin. Has anyone else got a story for us?"

And so it went. Some humans had been rescued by someone who looked a lot like the mutants Steve described. They told of how they never got a glimpse of their rescuers.

When the meeting was over, about half of the group had left either because Beth asked them to, to avoid trouble, or because they didn't want to hang around a bunch of "mutant-loving jerks".

"Alright, our next meeting will be all of us in here in two days," Beth said. "I'll see you all then. Make sure to grab a pamphlet on the way out; if you have any questions, please call me!"

It took close to twenty minutes for everyone to clear the room, but when they were gone, Leo stepped forward to catch Beth as she sat down in her chair. He brought Mikey with him, the youngest turtle asleep in his wings.

"Wow. You really saved a plane?" Beth breathed, huddling close to Leonardo.

"Yeah, we did. Would you like to return home now?"

"I would," she yawned. "I wanna go to bed."

"Okay," Leo agreed, gently waking Mikey and setting him on his feet. He kissed Beth tenderly to Mikey's amusement and they were soon off, turning out the lights in the room.

_Meanwhile, back at Beth's house…_

"Raph," Don said enticingly, "I know something we can do to thank Beth."

"What's that?" Raph asked, gently rolling his shoulders under Donnie's expert hands as the purple-masked turtle massaged his shoulders and shell. They had found that it helped with the tense muscles and pain.

"Let's clean the place up a bit and cook a really nice dinner."

"Aw, Don, I can't cook well, and neither can you! Mikey's away with Leo, anyway. Besides, we don't really know how to clean this place up really well."

"Let's just pick up, then. We'll get Mikey in on it."

"Why not Leo?"

"I'm thinking we should probably play friendly brothers in law…" Don whispered, leaning close to Raph. The hothead's eyes widened.

"Whoa, Don, you don't mean…"

"I do. Look at them, Raph. They're really happy together, and in love. Have you seen the way Leo stares at Beth sometimes, his hungry gaze? And Beth wants Leo in her life; you can tell by the way she reacted to us. Remember? She said that Leo was, and still is, her favorite. They _act_ like crushes, but Leo and Beth told us they've been dating steadily for a year. With our kind, that's no small feat."

"You're right," Raph sighed. "But how do we get them hitched?"

"With some creative planning and our secret weapon," Donnie laughed.

"What secret weapon?" Raph asked.

"Mikey. He can give Leo and Beth the idea to go to the movies together or something during the day, and then we can clean up the house and arrange it to our liking."

"And what would we call this "party"?"

"We'd call it a thank you party… But we'd also put up signs saying, "Good Luck in Life" or some such," Don planned. "Besides, it's not like Leo would take offense. He wants to spend his life with her anyways."

"Hm… Well, I actually like the idea. Yeah. I'll tell Mikey tonight, and he can think of something for tomorrow. Remember, the day after, he and Leo go back to that meeting," Raph warned. "We have to move quickly."

_An hour later…_

"Raph, Don, we're home!" Leo called into the house, putting his trench coat away. Mike followed his example just as the two brothers came out of the living room. Raph looked sleepy but refreshed, and Donnie smiled brightly at them.

"Hey, guys," he greeted jovially, slapping Leo and Mikey on their shoulders, careful of Leo's wound.

"Hello, Don," Leo said. "Do you need me for anything or may I take a break? My shoulder's hurting."

"Sure, Leo!" Don laughed. "We'll get dinner on and you can eat if you want, or I'll send Mikey with a tray."

"Okay. Thanks." Leo stepped up the stairs gingerly. Though Don told him they'd take his weight easily, he wasn't sure yet. After all, he weighed over a thousand pounds!

Beth turned to Mikey and asked, "Wanna help me cook something?"

"Oh, Beth, your parents took Lincoln to the theatre," Don mentioned belatedly. "They will be home around nine tonight, in a few hours."

"Thanks, Don," Beth shouted as she ran for the kitchen behind a hyper turtle. Upstairs, Leo could be heard moving around a little.

"What's he doing up there?" Raph wondered aloud.

"Probably pacing and reviewing the conference," Don shrugged. "You know how he is. Let's get the table set."

"Okay."

**A/N: I just had to write this chapter before the idea for one of the quotes left my head. I'll get the next one up soon, I hope. Please review!**


	28. No Need For Conspiracy, I Know

A/N: Had some free time during school, had to type

**A/N: Had some free time during school, had to type. Hope you all like it! WILL BE SHORT.**

Leo smiled as he reached into his shell and pulled out the small case. He had told Leatherhead about Beth long ago, and he had offered to make this for them. Two matching bands, both gold, with sapphires laid into the pieces. One was fit for Leo; the other was guessed for Beth.

He smiled. _After all,_ he thought as he set the case in his shell again, in the secret compartment. _You love her, she loves you… And she agreed before you proposed! But when to propose?_

_Tonight, _another part said. _You've made a huge step, you'll be presented as Beth's fiancé at the next meeting, which will only help… Do it tonight!_

He screwed up his courage and looked at himself in the full-length mirror. He decided that he needed a shower before he proposed. Humming happily, Leo stepped into the bathroom, removed his belt, mask, and weapons, and turned on the hot water.

"So much for a nap," Don chuckled downstairs when he heard the water going. He and Mikey were preparing the food. "Mikey, can I talk to you?"

"Sure thing, Donnie. Doesn't mean I'll listen, though," Mike laughed jovially.

"Or comprehend your conversation," Raph added teasingly. "You've seen how Leo and Beth look at each other, right?" Mikey nodded, suddenly attentive and serious. "Well, we've decided to push things along. I mean, they've dated for a year and he still hasn't asked her to marry him. We can both tell they love each other a lot, and we all know that is no mean feat." Raph paused.

"Go on…" Mikey kept stirring the batter he was preparing for the cookies he had decided to make.

"So… We need you to get them out of the house so we can put together a little party. A "thank you" and "get on with it" party," Donnie explained.

Suddenly, Mikey started cracking up, dropping the bowl in his laughter. Raph barely managed to save it and growled at the orange-banded turtle.

"What's so funny?"

Mikey couldn't get back the breath to answer him for a good ten minutes, during which Leo came back downstairs to see what the commotion was. He shrugged when they said they had no idea and went downstairs, probably seeking Beth.

"Oh… Oh…" Mikey panted, holding his side with tears running down his face. "Oh, don't _do_ that to me. I'm likely to have a heart attack!"

"What's so funny?"

"Alright, alright," Mike said, straightening and lowering his voice. "A few months ago, I was getting a little worried about Leo. He kept walking around with this dreamy look on his face, but he only did _that_ when he thought no one else was around. One day, he left the lair, and I followed him. You two were on a scavenger hunt."

"Oh… Okay. What's this got to do with the price of tea in china?" Raph argued.

"Because he went to Leatherhead… I couldn't slip in without him knowing, and I was surprised when he didn't find me as I tracked him. Anyway, I waited for a while, and he soon came back out. If you've ever seen him smile so wide, you'd think he was just told that he won unlimited time in the dojo." Raph and Don shot each other a look. "Alright, I'm getting on with it. Anyway, he paused outside the door and called a thanks to Leatherhead, who said that he was only too happy to help. Then Leo took out a small box he'd hidden in his shell… And guess what was inside?"

"What?" Don breathed.

"Two _rings_! One was obviously meant for Leo's finger – it was big and sturdy – and the other one looked like it was for a human hand. He picked one up and let me get a good look at it, not meaning to, of course. But anyway, it had _blue_ stones set into it. I was wondering what it was for, and I was going to ask, but then Darkwing showed up and all that…"

"So, he's been planning to propose?" Raph asked incredulously. "Why didn't he tell us?"

"Because I didn't think you'd understand," a level voice said. Raph spun around to find Leo lounging on the doorway, his wings shaking a little. "But Mikey's right, I _am_ planning on asking Beth to marry me."

"Duuuude," Mikey sighed, latching onto Leo who moved into the room so Beth wouldn't her. "So… When are ya gonna ask her?"

"Tonight," Leo smiled, reaching into the secret compartment and pulling out a black velvet box. "Leatherhead was kind enough to make these for us and kept it a secret." He opened it to reveal two rings, beautifully matched. Mikey picked up the larger one and read the inscription: _Fisae_.

The smaller one said _Eiladar_.

"Hey," Mikey said. "You know, "Fisae" means "Light Whisper" in elvish? And Eiladar is "Blue World"."

"We've always translated it as "Blue's World," but good try," Leo laughed, taking back the rings. "So… You guys agree?"

"Agree?" Raph asked disbelievingly. "Shell, Leo, we were ready to force you guys to marry!" To their amusement, Leo squirmed and blushed.

"Can you help me?" he asked quietly, his cheeks still a little redder than their normal black.

"Sure thing! I'll cook a romantic dinner. What's her favorite food?"

"Actually, she likes bean casserole a lot. I've developed a taste for it, too," Leo shrugged. "Can you make that?"

"I'd love to. If I can find a cookbook…" Mikey trotted off for the cupboard of cookbooks.

"I'll get some flowers and signs made up," Don offered. "And a legal certificate of marriage."

"Whoa, Don, we're just getting engaged," Leo laughed. "We're not going to marry quite yet, I think. But flowers would be wonderful. She loves lilies and daffodils."

"Okay." Don headed upstairs for his pack, in which he had money. There was no _way_ he'd let Leo pay for this.

"I'll pick out some nice music and figure out what to do with Lincoln that'll keep him out of the house for a while," Raph muttered, clapping Leo on the shoulder. "And Leo… Good luck."

"Thanks, bro," Leo sighed, breathing out quickly. "I just hope I'm brave enough."

"You've faced the Shredder, Karai, the Elite, and all kinds of other things, and you're scared of telling your love you actually want to spend the rest of your life with her?" Raph asked teasingly. "Man, Leo, get some sense! I'd be much more frightened of Shred-head!"

"Raph… If and when you get a girlfriend, you'll understand. Until then, lay off!" Donnie scolded, coming back down from his room. "Leo, can I use your trench coat?"

"Sure. It's in the closet."

"Thanks. I'll be back in a bit." Don donned the cloak, hat, and added a pair of sunglasses for safety before opening the door and stepping out quickly. Leo shuffled his wings, standing alone in the middle of the living room. He didn't know what to do now; Beth had stepped out to see if she could find Maurine and ask her something, Mikey and Raph were busy, Don had just left…

Sighing, Leo went downstairs and moved through some katas, practicing to keep his mind calm. When Beth came home, he promised himself, he'd be prepared and ready with a speech.

_I hope my brothers don't expect me to do this in front of them. How can I get them out of the house, too? Mr. and Mrs. Jackson won't be back until late tonight; they have a date at their favorite restaurant._

As he moved through another kata, lost in his mind, Beth stepped into the room. She observed the graceful turtle, her heart fluttering at the sight.

He suddenly stilled, held his katanas out, and bowed to an invisible presence. Then, startling her, he opened his wings fully and launched into an attack, moving with a fluid elegance that put the best dancer to shame. Blindingly fast, he attacked, blocked, and attacked again.

Beth just watched until she felt a soft touch on her shoulder. Mikey stood behind her, silent as well. His eyes were on Leo, who was spinning his body like a dancer and lashing out randomly with his blades, fists, and feet, sometimes even using his tail.

"When he's in the zone," Mikey breathed, leaning close to her ear to keep Leo from hearing, "you can't break him out. It's like Raph's blood rage… But infinitely more graceful and deadly. Leo is not one to piss off."

"Indeed, I know that well," Beth shuddered. "What happened to Sam… Never mind. That is his story to tell, and his alone."

_This "Sam" person is really getting on my nerves, _Mikey thought. _What could they possibly be hiding? _


	29. Proposal

A/N: Alright, you've been asking for this… The PROPOSAL

**A/N: Alright, you've been asking for this… And, on with the story of Beauty and the Beast…**

Leo felt himself move through the katas half-mindedly. His focus was on Beth, truly on the relationship between them. He was aware she watched him, as did Mikey, but he ignored their presence and tried to think of a way to propose without sounding like a total dweeb.

_Hm… Should I go with putting the ring in her wine? Nah; she hates romantic crap like that. I know! I'll invite her to watch _Romeo and Juliet_ and then propose to her during one of the love scenes. That should keep my brothers away anyway, they hate that movie._

He grinned, pleased with himself, and slowed his movements, halting in a sweeps that made his wings stand out nearly perpendicular to the floor and his body, like great black sails.

Clapping from Beth made him blush as he slid his katanas away and walked over to her and Mikey. He clapped his brother on the shoulder and pulled her to his plastron lovingly. Just the smell of her damp hair made him calm and happier than ever.

"So… What's on for dinner tonight?" Beth asked, glancing at Mikey.

"Bean casserole," Leo said. "Your favorite!"

"Oh, yeah! It's been a while since I've had bean casserole. No one else really likes it." She thanked Mikey with a kiss to his cheek, at which Leo scowled teasingly.

"Hey, Beth," he whined. "That's mine!"

"Oh, you big baby, here," she giggled, pulling his head down so she could kiss him full on the lips. Before she could back away, though, he grabbed her shoulders and bent over her like one sees in the movies.

Mikey was whistling and clapping, laughing through it all. When Leo straightened, he ran for Mikey and put one leg on the turtle's shell as the youngest brother was knocked over. Anymore weight, they all knew, and Mikey's shell could crack.

"And now to take back what is mine," Leo chuckled, bending down and kissing Mikey's cheeks.

"Hey!" Mikey protested. "That was _mine!_"

"And it was given to you by _my_ love, therefore it is rightly mine," Leo reasoned, removing his foot. Mikey jumped up and leapt at him, pressing his cheek against Leo's lips.

"Ha!" he cried, jumping away. "Mine!"

"Boys, boys, seriously, I do not run out of kisses," Beth scolded. She blanched, though, as Leo turned to her.

"Let's see about that," he said in a menacing growl with laughter behind it. She squeaked and ran to hide behind Mike as he approached. "Aw, come on, Eiladar. Are you too chicken to see if you do run out of kisses?"

"No," Beth remarked, staring at the winged turtle from under Mikey's arm. "But I need time to recharge my tank after a few kisses."

"Leo, stop harassing the poor girl," Raph admonished, coming downstairs. "Beth, I suggest you stop hiding behind Mikey. Leo may think Mikey's his dragonet, but he thinks _you're_ his girlfriend. Mate, but not quite."

"Wow, Raph, you've been hanging around Donnie _waaaay_ too much," Mikey remarked as Beth stepped back to Leo, who pulled her to him possessively.

"And as for _you_, Kiss-Stealer, no more! Mine!" Leo grunted in a harsh finish to his declaration.

"You know, you keep up with this jealousy and I might just _have_ to kiss your brothers. Maybe then-"

"Ah!" Leo interrupted, turning a bright red that _totally_ clashed with his black scales. In fact, Mikey wondered how he had even blushed with the black scales. "I think that's quite enough, Beth Jackson."

Raph raised an eyebrow as Beth pouted, her lower lip sticking out as she looked away from Leo in mock anger. Leonardo engulfed them both in his wings and Raph took that as his cue to exit. He grabbed Mikey's arm and pulled him upstairs.

"Let's set this up," Raph instructed quietly just as Donnie walked back in the doorway, a large bouquet in one hand. "Ah, Braniac, you got flowers!"

"Yep. Special. Where's Leo? And Beth?"

"Preoccupied," Mikey reported triumphantly. "They'll be down there for a while."

"What did you do?" Don groaned.

"Nothing much," Raph shrugged. "Apparently, he stole one of "Leo's" kisses from Beth, though she kissed him willingly. When I came back in, Leo had stolen the kiss back, and then Mikey was getting it back again. I think Leo's going to try to discourage her kissing – shell, maybe even _approaching_ – any of us. Remember, his dragon part thinks she's his mate," he added when Don was about to interrupt.

"I concur," Donnie sighed. "But the table must be set. Mikey, hop to! I bought an icing kit and some frosting for you. Can you make a cake?"

"I already did; it's in the oven. Carrot, in honor of Leo. It's his favorite."

"Uh huh," Raph grunted, pulling out glasses, napkins, and plates from one cupboard. Keeping these balanced on his right arm, he walked into the living room. Lincoln's elevator door ringed and the teenager came out, smiling brightly.

"Hey, Raph," he greeted, watching in fascination as Raphael threw the plates and glasses into the air, using ninja speed to put them in the right places. Then he arranged the napkins neatly into peaked tents on the plates.

"Hey, Lincoln," he said casually when he was finished. He reached out behind him and pulled open the silverware drawer in the dining room. Pulling out knives, forks, and spoons, he shut the door with his foot and laid these out as well.

"Whatcha doin'?" Lincoln asked, following Raph back into the kitchen.

"We're throwing a party for you guys. A "Thank You" party," Mikey explained cheerily, whipping frosting with a fork. "Wanna help?"

"Sure! I'll get Leo and Beth!"

"They're busy," Raph said hurriedly. "We're putting it on as a surprise for Beth. And if we call Leo up, Beth's sure to come. He's already helped enough. Leave the two lovebirds alone."

"Oh, okay." Lincoln smiled brightly. "I'll make some pictures, then. I'm a good artist."

"Okay, that'd be great. None of us can draw really well, except for Leo," Don asserted. "Thanks!"

"No problem." Lincoln headed back upstairs with the elevator, muttering to himself about what type of paper he should use.

"Man, this is an awesome family," Mikey sighed.

_Later that evening…_

"Leo, Beth, come on up!" Mikey called down the stairs. The dinner was ready, Mr. and Mrs. Jackson were coming home later, and Lincoln was out with a few friends – with the permission of Mr. Jackson, of course. That left the four turtles and Beth for dinner.

The two lovebirds ascended the stairs and sat at the table, Leo pulling out Beth's chair for her gallantly. Raph snorted into his hand, pretending to cough. Leonardo's wing smacked him gently as the winged turtle took his set place at the head of the table, for with Master Splinter gone he was the head of the family.

Beth sat on his right, Mikey on his left. Don was next to Mikey and Raph sat across from him. Lincoln sat across from Leo, at the other head of the table, a fact he was proud of to no end.

Beth bent her head, the rest following suit. She didn't say anything, however, and Leo started speaking. It wasn't a "thank God for this food" speech; it was a "thank God for these wonderful friends and family" sermon.

When he finished, Mikey, Don, and Raph said, "Thank you," as well. Only then did Leo and Beth raise their heads, quickly followed by the rest. Food started being passed around, plates piling high – in Mikey's case – with anything and everything. Beth and Lincoln giggled as he winked at them.

"I'm still growing," he disclosed as if it was a secret.

"Yeah; out!" Raph chuckled.

"Hey, no fair!" Mikey cried. "Foul!"

Once Leo sorted that little tizzy out, they ate in good spirits, talking about the meeting and how it had gone. As soon as Lincoln was done, he headed for his room, saying he had some homework and was tired.

"Alright, how about a movie?" Leo asked, preparing to spring his trap.

"Uh, sure," Raph agreed, startled. He sent a look to Leo that said, _What are you planning?_

"Beth, wanna join me?" Leonardo invited, winking at Raph so Beth couldn't see. Don barely held in a laugh, and Mikey excused himself to do the dishes rather quickly.

"Oh, uh, sure," Beth accepted. She stood up, wondering why the other turtles weren't scrambling to watch the movie. "What movie?"

"Hmmm," Leo wondered, pulling Beth close to him. Raph and Don snickered and started clearing the table. He bent down and whispered into her ear.

"Sure! I love that movie." Beth smiled at Leo, who grinned softly back.

"And the best part is, my brothers hate it, so we'll have the downstairs all to ourselves."

Raph was having a really hard time keeping in something like, "And don't try anything, younglings!" in a crude old man voice.

"Oh, we can watch something different, if they want to come," Beth assured Leo hurriedly. "I didn't mean to push them away."

"Oh, we'll be fine," Don reassured her. "Raph and I have some stuff to do at the lair. Mikey's going with us to stand guard and watch some TV, maybe look for Klunk some more. I think we trapped him in the kitchen, but we haven't gotten that far into the lair yet."

"Oh, if you're sure," Beth agreed. Don breathed out in success that she had fallen for his ruse. "But it's night out."

"Uh, we ninjas work best in darkness," Leo told her quickly. "Besides, they're not going to loot the lair in full daylight. Darkness is our friend right now."

"Oh, okay. Well, then, shall we?"

"Indeed." Leo picked Beth up bridal style before she could protest, whisking her away. Don's chuckles at their antics were only heard by the four brothers.

As Leo and Beth watched the movie together, curled up on the couch, Leonardo wondered which love scene he should choose.

However, as Juliet and Romeo were gushing love to each other, he decided to get it over with. During down the volume with his tail on the dial, he stood up and faced Beth, reaching into his shell for the box quickly. She looked up at him wonderingly. _What's he up to?_ Beth asked herself.

As he knelt, though, her knees began to weaken. She gasped as he took one of her hands in his own, feeling the rough calluses. With the other hand he opened a small box. Nestled inside was two rings, one meant for her finger, the other for his finger.

"Beth… We love each other to no end," Leo said, his voice rich and warm. "So I ask this from my heart. Will you marry me?"

Beth looked into Leo's mask, trying to look into his eyes. She had seen the red pupils, and though they scared her, she wished she could see them now. She wanted to know what he was thinking.

"Leo… I…"

**A/N: UH OH! What's she gonna say? Well, tune in next time! BTW, I won't post the next chapter until I get at least 80 reviews... So you'd better review. Sorry it's getting so danged Leo-centric, but I've got the next chapter Raph-centri-fied. (If that's a word, not sure it is) Anyway, read and review or I WILL NOT post the next chapter. Leo Oneal's trick with The Dragon Spreads His Wings was kinda low (she reviewed each chapter seperately once she heard I wouldn't post the next chapter until I got thirty reviews), but I'll accept it.**


	30. Mother

Beth's heart skipped a beat as Leo pulled off his mask, red eyes staring at her happily

**A/N: I know I've been straying from the whole "Raph-centric" thing, so here's something for you Raph fans. I had to finish the proposal scene, first, though, so just bear with me. I promise it'll be more Raph-centered after this. Sorry, but my favorite is Leo, so it just kinda happens, you know? Anyway, on with the show!**

Beth's heart skipped a beat as Leo pulled off his mask, red eyes staring at her happily.

"Oh… Leo, yes!" she cried finally, hugging him tightly. "Yes, yes, I'll marry you!"

"Oh, good," Leo sighed passionately, backing up and taking the ring out of its box. He slipped it over her finger and then she put his on when he offered her the larger band.

"Mmmm," she murmured, reached up and kissing him on the lips. "Oooh, Leo, I love you so much!"

"And I, you," he laughed, turning off the movie and sitting down on the reinforced couch. She straddled his hips and kissed him again, tears sparkling in her eyes. Her wildest dream had come true!

"Well, well, well," Raph laughed from the staircase, causing Leo's head to snap around. "Ain't this touching. Well, come on, lovebirds. The rest of us want to congratulate you!"

"You… You knew?" Beth stammered as Leo picked her up bridal style.

Raph smiled outwardly, though he was deadly jealous inside. _It's not fair,_ he pouted, away of how much he sounded like a little kid denied a cookie. _Leo, the stuck-up leader and ninjistsu master, found true love before I did? I mean, I've saved plenty of girls from being taken advantage of, and not one of 'em _ever_ thanked _me_. Why's he so special?_

Raph fumed to himself, though, and joined in as Don and Mikey congratulated the pair. Soon, the festivities were too much as they started discussing wedding opportunities and he decided that he needed a good run in the cold night air.

"I'm goin' out," he muttered to Don, who nodded and glanced at him worriedly. Sighing, Raph checked his Sai, which never left him anyways, and went upstairs. Using Beth's window, he clambered to the roof and looked out over the city.

_Bah. Can't see anything here, _he grumbled, leaping onto another roof. He jumped from one to another happily, elated at the feel of wind in his face and the cool air around him. Below, police sirens clanged, screams and shots rang out, but up here he was safe, able to do anything unwatched.

As Raph crawled up another fire escape onto a taller building, he halted and listened. On the roof… Something was pacing, like they were waiting for something. He crept closer, silently, with a Sai in his left hand.

"Raphael?" a voice asked from above. Raph straightened. _Who is that and why do they know my name?_ Raphael asked himself.

"How do you know my name?" the vampire-turtle asked, lurking in the shadows.

"Ah, so you _are_ there," the voice said. A young man stepped into the light. Raph reeled back.

"You're the one…" he whispered, drawn forward as well. The human looked at him warmly.

"Yes, I bit you. I am very sorry; you startled me," he apologized, bowing before standing straight again, lounging on his left leg with his right one held off the ground like he was in mid-kick. "It seems you are changing even as I did."

"I don't see wings on you," Raph growled, rubbing his shoulder absently. His wings twitched painfully and he grimaced.

"Oh, I learned to hide them, Raphael. As I had to; I could not walk in the human world if I did not," the young man laughed. "Oh, please forgive my bad manners. I did not introduce myself. I am Samuel Anderson. You are Raphael, correct?"

"Yeah, but how do you know that?"

"Whenever a vampire bites another being, they automatically know a lot about that person. I picked up your name, the names of your brothers, and a few memories. What your mind was focused on when I bit you, I received. You were angry, weren't you?"

"Yeah," Raph admitted, calming down considerably. Here was a kindred soul, he could tell by the way the other held himself. "So, did it hurt?"

"What, my wings growing in?" Sam asked laughingly. "Hell yes. It hurt like…"

"Like something's forcing itself out of your shell… er, back?" Raph chuckled. "Yeah. Can I make it go faster?"

"I can show you how, yes, but it's a _lot_ more painful." Samuel bit his lip and folded his arms across his muscled chest. His red eyes glowed in the dark, and his black hair was nearly invisible.

"I don't care," Raph nearly shouted. "I want my wings in so I can show Leo he ain't the only one who can be special!"

"I understand," Samuel whispered. "Raphael-"

"Call me Raph," the young turtle interrupted.

"Very well, I am also called Sam. Pleased to meet you. Now, about your wings. Here, sit with me. We will meditate. Only then can you seek your true vampire self."

Grumbling, Raph moved forward and sat down facing the teenager. He dropped into a trance slowly, getting used to the feeling of being separated from his body. His "eyes" opened to see a dark plain. A moment later, Sam popped into his vision, his eyes closed and his chest rising in deep breaths. The human opened his eyes and smiled.

_You're good,_ he said, or at least, "sent".

_Thank you. I am a ninja. It's part of the job,_ Raph "chuckled".

_Yes, well, follow me. We're going to see Her._

_Who's "her"?_ Raph wondered to Sam, who merely chortled and turned away, walking into a mist behind him. Raphael followed closely, one hand on the young man's arm to keep them together in the clinging god that obscured his view any more than two feet in front of his nose.

_**Ah, young ones, welcome**_**, **a voice boomed out into their minds. Sam smiled at Raph, who tensed and put one hand on his waist, looking for a Sai. He belatedly remembered that he was in a mental world, so he didn't _have_ a weapon. _**What is it you seek from the Mother?**_

_Mother,_ Sam called, getting down on one knee. Raph followed suit immediately. _My friend and brother in the night seeks a faster wing growth, as did I._

_**Well, then, step forward, Raphael, brave one,**_ the voice said, warmly. _**Far be it for me to refuse one of my children.**_

_What do you mean?_ Raph asked, standing up and walking towards where he though the voice came from. Sam stayed behind, though.

_**You are my children's children, Raphael. I am the First Vampire, the Mother in the Night. You are welcome here, my son. Do you truly wish more pain upon yourself so your wings can grow in quickly?**_

_I do, Mother,_ he answered firmly. _My brother, Leonardo, grew his wings quickly and painlessly. I need to show them that I can be just as strong as Leo. Donatello, my best friend and brother, has been helping me, but I _need_ my wings. I cannot keep up without them._

_**Ah, youngling, you struggle with so much fire!**_Mother laughed warmly. Raph felt a being close to him and swung his eyes around, trying to find it. Out of the mist walked a large bat, solid black fur that seemed to swirl with star patterns. For some reason, Raph felt drawn to the being. He realized that the voice was coming from the bat, the Mother. _**But I will help you. Come here, my son, that's it.**_

She engulfed him in her wing and he thought, _This is what Mikey feels all the time, huh?_ Mother chuckled as if she had heard him and her wing tightened, pulling him to her chest like a true bat's offspring.

_**This will hurt,**_she warned. Raph nodded and braced himself…

_Later… (but how long?)_

Raph groaned and sat up, rubbing his shoulders. A face was near his; Sam's features slowly came into view. Both smiled and Sam brushed his hands across Raphael's new wings.

"Well, they certainly are nice," Sam murmured, feeling the velvety skin. "Here, let's get you on your feet. Mother is proud; she says you will be a very good little vampire."

"Ah, my head," Raph groaned as he stood up, looking around. Unconsciously, he shifted his wings and pressed them tightly to his shell. Startled at the new movements he could control, he looked back at them.

They were solid black – or a very dark blue or green. It was hard to tell in this light. They weren't very big… Maybe four feet long each. They had bat-like "fingers" and claws. He fanned them happily. They were sore, and his shoulders ached, but he could control them easily.

"Wow," Sam breathed. "Yours are really nice. Mine are smaller." He closed his eyes and suddenly a pair of his own wings flapped out of his back. Indeed, they were about a foot shorter overall.

"Well, I am bigger and heavier," Raph laughed, walking over to the edge of the building. He looked out over the buildings around this tall one and looked back at Sam. "Thanks, brother."

"No problem. We watch after our own," Sam chuckled, joining Raphael. "Would you like to take 'em for a test drive?"

"Does Leo like to train?" he asked teasingly in answer. When Sam just stared at him, he added, "That means "duh"!"

"Oh, okay. Let's go, then. Feel the currents under your wings and react to them. Your body will know what to do; you need to train you mind on how to fly. It's easy. Watch!"

Sam jumped off the building, his wings spreading to catch the air. Raph, with a snort, followed close behind, letting his body do what it needed to. He soon caught up to the human and glided along next to him, watching as the buildings coasted by under him.

"Wow," Raph breathed, beating his wings once. "It's amazing!"

"Yeah," Sam sighed, his arms crossed over his chest. "Your arms are dragging you down, Raph. Pull 'em up. Same with your legs. You'll go much faster with much more ease if you do."

Raph followed his advice and felt the resistance on his wings slacken. He shot ahead of the human.

"Ha _ha_!" he cried, fluttering his wings to avoid running into a building ahead of him. Sam laughed as they climbed higher into the air, both set of wings clawing for height.

"There ya go!" Sam called as Raph started playing with the currents, flittering about as he pleased happily. He felt totally and completely free, like nothing could touch him.

He looked towards the rising sun with trepidation. He really didn't want to be seen, not now. Sighing, he looked around and spotted a familiar landmark.

"I gotta go!" he called to Sam, who nodded and landed on a roof. Raph waved and glided off for Beth's house, wondering what his brothers' reactions would be. _I'll leave out Mother and just say they grew in really quick. And I think I'll keep Sam a secret, too. I don't want Leo interferin' here._

He smiled to himself as he landed on the roof, tucking his wings in tightly. It felt uncomfortable, however, and he frowned. His wings crept up his shoulders and suddenly latched claws in front of his throat, making a sort of "cape". Shrugging, Raph accepted it since it was more comfortable and crawled down the brick… Without climbing claws. His fingers just stuck to the wall until he lifted his hand consciously.

Shaking his head, he popped into Beth's room and rolled his shoulders. He heard Leo and Beth speaking downstairs, and Don's scent was heavy down there as well. Mikey's babbling reached his ears a second later as Leo's voice stopped.

Smiling, Raph decided that he'd just walk in like everything was natural. After all, they knew he was growing wings… Why not make it memorable?

When he got into Donnie's sight, the purple-banded turtle choked when he looked at Raph. Leo and Mikey turned their heads to see their red-masked brother and Mikey whispered.

"What the shell?"


	31. Waking Terror

A/N: Alright, Raph's got full wings

**A/N: Alright, Raph's got full wings. Let's see… Now what?**

Raph smirked as Don stood up, crossing hesitantly to him.

"What?" Raphael asked, twitching his wings purposefully.

"Your wings are fully grown in," Don stammered. Leo stood up with an apologetic glance at Beth, who was still staring with shock at Raph.

"Well, Fearless, looks like you aren't the only one with wings now," Raph chuckled, opening his.

"Yeah, but mine are bigger!" Leo laughed humorously, opening his to knock Raph's away. "Take that, Puny-Wing!"

"Giant!" Raph teased, folding his wings into a cloak again. Leo furled his behind his shell, noticing the clasped claws. "Try it," Raphael chuckled when he saw Leo staring at the arrangement.

"Okay." Leo let his wings drift open slightly and then brought them forward. To all of their surprise, they completely wrapped around each other, instead of hooking claws, and bound themselves like Raph's were _behind_ Leo.

"Hey!" Leo protested, his arms stuck to his body. Raphael laughed heartily at the expression on Leonardo's face as he tried to get his wings to cooperate, but they seemed stuck somehow. Finally, Beth took pity and helped him untangle the claws. They shifted restlessly but then copied Raph's wings and latched across Leo's metal chest.

"Hey, I can do it, too!"

"Oh, by the way, congratulations, you two!" Raph said, hugging Don's shoulder with his right arm and clapping Leo's wing-covered bicep with his other. "I hope you have a good, long life together."

"We hope so, too," Leo murmured, pulling Beth close to him. His wings parted and she rested back against his metal plastron. Leonardo's wings stayed in the air, hovering above the lovebirds like a canopy,

"That's handy," Leo muttered, looking at his wings. "Why didn't you do that before?"

"They can't talk to you," Don chuckled. "But they _do_ seem to have a little bit of a mind of their own."

"Lousy things," Raph muttered as his wings jerked up, hitting him in the chin, as if in agreement with Donnie.

Mikey yawned hugely, covering his mouth belatedly. "Well, I'm beat. I'm gonna go to bed." He trooped downstairs, followed quickly by a yawning Donnie. Raph glanced at Leo, who smiled secretively and nodded to him.

"Good night, bro," he said quietly, turning towards the stairs with Beth in his strong arms.

"Good night, Leo," Raph chuckled, following Don and Mikey. Downstairs, he noticed that Mikey took up the couch, fully all of it as he was sprawled. Don was sitting in an armchair, and the other didn't look too comfortable.

_Hmmm_, though Raphael, looking at the uneven ceiling. _Leo can do it. And I'm half-bat now. Why not?_

He went over to a wall and put a hand on the plaster, unaware that Don was watching him. Mikey was fast asleep, but Don always slept softly at first before dropping into a deeper slumber.

Raph tried to pull his hand down but lifted himself instead. Smiling, he crawled up the wall and put his feet on the ceiling, letting go with his hands. He stuck, just like a bat. His wings closed around him as far as they could go, not quite covering him all the way, and he slept fitfully.

_The next morning…_

"Holy shell!"

The scream from Mikey woke Raph and Leo up immediately, and Raph opened his eyes, looking down automatically. Mikey was lying on the couch right underneath him, staring up with frightened shock. Leo pounded down the stairs a moment later and glanced at Raph before glaring at Mikey.

"Mikey, calm down. You should have guessed Raph would try something. Now, I'm going back to bed. We'll leave in a couple hours," Leo instructed, rubbing his face tiredly. His mask was missing and in the dark of the basement, his red eyes glowed eerily. Donnie woke then.

"Tired, Leo?" Raph teased. "Doesn't have anything to do with Beth, does it?"

To their amusement, Leo froze in embarrassment before shaking himself – his wings rattling – and blushing, mumbling something that sounded like, "It might."

Mikey howled with laughter until he fell off the couch. Raph consciously let his feet un-stick themselves from the ceiling and let go, his right wing opening and flipping his body around to land in a crouch. Don watched him caringly, and Raph helped the brainiac to his feet. Leo had fled to his and Beth's room.

It took the orange-banded turtle a full ten minutes to calm himself down enough for Raph to haul him to his feet. His knees were weak but he was under control, so to speak.

"Anyway, Raph, don't scare me like that," he pouted, punching Raph's shoulder beneath his wing. "I nearly had a heart attack!"

"Shush, Mikey," Don whispered. "Leo's still tired… And I bet Beth is, too." They all snickered for a moment. "Let's just watch some early-morning news or something."

"Okay," Mikey agreed, launching himself onto the couch again. Raph snorted and sat down next to his brother, keeping his wings well out of the youngest's reach, who was trying to wrap his cold feet up in them.

"Humph!" Mikey finally grunted happily. "Fine. Be that way. They aren't a nice as Leo's anyway."

"Shut up, Mikey," Raph growled, watching the news lady report on the weather in the Western United States. _Bor-_ing!

"Ya gotta admit, though, they go well together," Mikey prodded, poking Raph's knee to distract the turtle. Donnie was watching the news avidly; he found such things as weather across the country very interesting.

"Yeah, yeah," Raph muttered.

An hour later, Leo came downstairs again. He was smiling brightly as he said good morning.

"Not so tired now?" Raph smirked, getting a very gentle punch from Leo in return. Had the big turtle hit any harder, Raphael could easily have found himself with a broken bone or two. It had taken a little while for him, but Leo had learned how to control his strength so he didn't hurt someone he didn't want to hurt.

"Yes," Leo snorted. "No thanks to you. I _was_ sleeping peacefully, and then you had to go scare Kalian."

"Hey, it's not my fault he screams so high. Besides, I was right above him. My hearing's as good yours. It hurt me more than it did you," Raph grumbled.

"Alright, that's enough," Don interrupted. "Mikey, Leo, good luck. Raph, you and I have more stuff at the lair to clean up. It's still very dusty."

"And keep looking for poor Klunk!" Mikey shouted as Leo dragged him up the stairs. "My poor kitty's probably cold and hungry by now."

"Mikey, he's probably stuck in the kitchen, and you keep his food bag out where he can get to it at any time. He's fine because of your laziness," Don laughed.

Leo and Mike put on their trench coats as Beth came down the stairway. "Lincoln's awake and will get himself breakfast," she said. "Let's eat out this morning."

"What?" Mikey asked, feigning horror. "In the human world?"

"It's fine. There's a great café a couple blocks from here, right on the way to work. The waitress is blind, there's dark corners… The food's good," Beth added to convince Mikey.

"Let's go!" the youngest yelled immediately, slamming his hat on his bald head and opening the door. Leo followed his hyper brother, Beth's hand firmly locked in his. He didn't need to tell her that he thought this was a bad idea.

Mikey chattered all the way there, saying hello to everyone. Though he looked menacing in his coat, many people smiled and answered. _No stalker would be so friendly, _they assumed. _No stalker would be out in broad daylight like that,_ others thought.

_Too bad they're wrong,_ Leo thought to himself, noticing a great deal of men and women in the alleys, smoking, drinking, or robbing. He wanted to help them, but Beth's hand kept him on the street and paying attention to his little brother.

_Ah… It's true what they say. Your soul mate changes everything about you,_ Leonardo chuckled, gripping Beth's hand securely as they entered the little diner. This time, though, they ordered, ate, and paid without incident. No men followed them out, though Leo made Beth take an indirect route to the conference so they weren't followed.

Taking a deep breath, he opened the door for Beth and they stepped in with Mikey. No one was there yet – they were about twenty minutes early – but that meant that Leo could scope out the room and pronounce it unwatched, and both turtles could get ready for the shock and terror of the humans later on, when Beth introduced them.

The group was of only about a hundred humans, trusted by Beth to be given the secret note at the first conference that said they were invited to the second but to not tell anyone. Leo had helped her, staying in the shadows but in Beth's line of sight. When she saw someone she trusted, he had nodded or shaken his head. _After all,_ she had told himself, _he can sense their minds. He's a ninja._

_And now,_ she smiled to herself as a rap came at the door, _he's my fiancé._ She went over to open it and the turtles disappeared, hiding once more like the ninja they were. Slowly, the room filled with the one hundred trustworthy humans.


	32. The Secret's Out

A/N: Well, this was supposed to be the last chapter, when I had it all planned out, but then I got the great idea of Leo having Beth as a girlfriend

**A/N: Well, this **_**was**_** supposed to be the last chapter, when I had it all planned out, but then I got the great idea of Leo having Beth as a girlfriend. This story could and probably will go up to about forty or forty five chapters. I've just got a big ending to do with Raph, like I did with Leo. Hopefully, it won't be too long. If it is… You'll have to bear with me. I'm sorry; I rarely write shorter than a hundred pages. That Oneshot with Leo was just a spur-of-the-moment thing, so hopefully I can learn to write shorter stories. Anyway, I'm rambling. On with the show…**

Leo bit his lip as more humans filed into the room. He watched them carefully, hoping to catch a few who were trying to sneak in and might even be Purple Dragon or Foot spies, but he had no such luck. Each one's mind was open and cheerful, though a little confused. They had no idea that they would meet two of the mutants this day.

Once everyone was in, Beth cleared her throat. _She's really getting the hang of this,_ Leo sighed to himself.

"We're gathered here today because I sensed you, all of you, were trustworthy and open-minded. These qualities make you qualified to bear a great burden, a secret very few of us humans know. Those of us who do are in constant danger from well-trained foes, including a clan of ninja called the Foot. Also, Purple Dragon thugs have us branded for immediate capture. It is hard, carrying this secret.

"But the thrill of it, the sense of knowing something hardly anyone else does, that makes it worthwhile. And the secret themselves are probably the best part.

"You have heard that these mutants were freaks, animals, to be killed on sight. If possible, captured and handed over to Agent Bishop. He's a man, surely, but he's a monster as well. Bishop would take these poor souls and put them in dissection rooms! He would dissect them alive if he had the chance!"

Angry murmurs acknowledged her outburst. She took a deep breath and sighed, waiting for a calmer audience. Steve Martin was there, and he was staring at her intently. Leo wanted to put his arms around her and show that human… _Whoa,_ Leo shook himself. _He's just interested in what she's saying. Beth's mine and she knows it. She won't stray from me, I trust her enough to say that._

"This secret is the knowledge… That the mutants are real," Beth said, her voice very sincere. Leo and Mikey took that as their cue and stepped out, one on either side of Beth. They still had their trench coats on, so they didn't cause anything but stirs and mutters.

"My friends," Leo said, taking a step forward. "I am grateful for your attendance today. Yes, mutants exist. Yes, mutants are not human. Yes, mutants can be dangerous."

Beth placed a hand on his arm and he stepped back again, letting her take over. Mikey shuffled his feet uncomfortably; every eye in the room was on them.

"But mutants can also be caring, devoted, and like brothers," she said, her voice echoing hollowly in the room. "Therefore, I invite you to share this secret with me. The knowledge of their existence, what they are and _why_ they are. But really, I want you to know _who_ they are."

Several murmurs of consent later, Beth inhaled and gripped Leo's elbow briefly before stepping forward and saying, "Then, if you agree to keep this a secret, let me introduce two mutants who have agreed to come here today, to greet you and tell you _their_ story."

Leo and Mikey threw off their coats at the same instant, letting the fabric settle behind them as humans gasped at their appearance. Leonardo was still, his face calm and untroubled. Mikey, though, was smiling big.

"Leonardo!" Steve cried, coming down and shaking Leo's hand. "It is good to see you again."

"And it is good to see you, Steve," Leo answered warmly, pumping the man's hand.

"You've grown," Steve laughed.

Beth looked up at the audience, hoping they would understand. In fact, most of them were smiling, and some were getting up to see the mutants up close. For an hour, Mikey and Leo introduced themselves again and again, shaking hands and speaking to the humans as if they were humans themselves. Short Mikey had to look up to meet many of the taller men and women's faces, but Leo was always looking _down_ sharply.

Many commented on their differences, as well, and Leo decided, after having everyone's name dutifully memorized, that explanations were in order. He stepped back from the crowd and cleared his throat loudly, flapping his wings as well to command attention.

"My friends, please sit back down, and I will tell you all about how we came to be. Furthermore, I will answer any questions," he said, pitching his voice to carry. Within about five minutes, everyone was seated and watching him wonderingly.

"Our story really begins in Japan," he started, leaning back slightly on his tail. "Our adopted father, Master Splinter, used to be a pet rat to a man named Hamato Yoshi. He was a great ninja, this man, and a master of the martial arts. One day, however, he was offered a job of high honor as a Guardian of the Utroms. The Utroms are an alien race from a distant galaxy, and were on Earth. He won many honors guarding the Utrom leaders, and eventually became the Head Guardian. However, the base was attacked. He was killed by Shredder, a rogue Utrom who heads the Foot Clan even today. Master Yoshi helped the Utroms to safety, but they agreed he could no longer live in Japan.

"He fled to America, but had no luck finding another job. He moved into the sewers with Splinter, his rat. He was happy for a time, but then the Shredder caught up to him. He was slain by the Shredder, who is still our enemy. Splinter had learned martial arts from watching his master, and tried to save Yoshi. But he could not.

"Splinter wandered the sewers for many days before he observed a momentous event. A young boy was carrying a jar with four infant, pet turtles."

"Ya get an idea where this is goin'?" Mikey interrupted with a smile.

"Shush, Mikey," Beth scolded. "Let Leo finish."

"Thank you, Beth. Anyway, at the same time, a blind man was crossing the street. A large TCRI truck was coming down the road, and it could not stop. In desperation, a larger boy ran out to save the man, but hit the younger one in the process. The jar was smashed and the turtles were lost to the sewers.

"The truck swerved and a canister of green ooze fell out of the back. It fell into the sewers after the turtles and broke open, covering them with the gooey stuff. Splinter took pity and gathered them up, taking them to his burrow.

"The next day, they were four times as large, and he was twice as large as he had been! They started following him around for weeks. He thought they would just grow up to be huge turtles, but then one of them said, "Splin-ter?"

"Well, he knew then that they were not going to be regular turtles. The ooze had given him higher intelligence, and he could easily walk on two legs. A few days later, so could the turtles. They were speaking, too, and Splinter decided that they would need to learn how to defend themselves from the outside world.

"He trained them to be ninjas, secret assassins whose greatest element was darkness. From the age of two years old he trained us, working us until we became the greatest ninjas we could be.

"He named us from an old Renaissance book." Leo drew his katanas and spread his wings impressively. "He named me Leonardo, after the great painter. I wield the matched blades, the katana."

Mikey took his cue and whirled his nunchucks, laughing, "I am Michelangelo, and I am the whirling nunchuker. Oh, and I was named after a guy who sculpted, painted, was a poet, and… uh… I think that's it."

Leo sighed and slid his katana away. "As you can plainly see, Mikey – that's what a lot of us call him – is smaller than I am. Also, he's more…well, normal, for a mutant ninja turtle."

"Yeah; I'm the pretty one!" Mikey got several laughs as Leo smacked him gently over the shoulder. "Hey," he whined.

"I am actually not a pure turtle/human hybrid. Through a dimensional demon, I became part dragon as well. My brother, Raphael, was bitten by a human vampire and has started changing in that direction as well."

"Aren't dragons fantasy?" a woman asked.

"Yes, they are. But only in this dimension. There are many others. This is called "Third Earth"."

"Yeah," Mikey chimed in. "We found that out when I became-"

"Don't you dare," Leo growled tiredly, clapping a hand over Mikey's mouth. "My apologies. My little brother is quite enthusiastic about a tournament he won on another dimension. Ignore him. It will make your life _so_ much easier," he laughed, others joining in as Mikey rolled his eyes.

"Are there any questions?" Beth asked, looking over the crowd.

"Yeah, I've got one," a man said, standing up hesitantly. Leo nodded and let Mikey go, but the youngest didn't try to blurt out whatever he was going to say. "Um… How long have you lived in the sewers?"

"We are eighteen years old," Leo said. "We have lived there all our lives, though we have moved several times. At the moment, however, we are living with Beth, who has been kind enough to take us in for a while. Our old lair was found and we were attacked by a SWAT team."

A lady stood up next. "There's so much I want to know. When will we see you again?"

"I am not sure. Raphael and Donatello will hope to be there," Leo mused. "We could gather more easily somewhere outside the city, where there aren't thugs in every alley with orders to kill us."

"We could go to the National Forest," Beth suggested. "I've got the keys. You just have to tell the gate-keeper Beth Jackson sent you and they'll let you in."

"Okay, when?" the woman asked. She was clearly going to be a good friend to the turtles.

"Um… How about sometime next week?" Beth looked towards Leo, who nodded and smiled. "Okay, next Thursday at noon at the National Forest. Head for the Oak Manor; there's no one there now, and it's a great place to have a party, so to speak. And Leo and his brothers can hide easily."

The woman smiled her thanks and sat down again. Several more people stood up and asked questions, which Leo answered as best he could. Most were about their lives, their enemies and friends. Hardly anyone asked about Raph and Donnie. Leo didn't know whether to take that as a good sign or a bad one.


	33. A Tale Woven, Curiosity Awoken

Raph groaned and rubbed his arms

Raph groaned and rubbed his arms. His old weight set was in perfect condition, except for the dust, and he'd decided to have a workout. His wings had made it _very_ uncomfortable to lie on his shell, which was already painful, so he had sat up and lifted weights with one arm and then the other.

"Raph!" Donnie called from his lab. The hothead smiled as he stretched, walking slowly towards his favorite brother.

"Yeah?" he asked, flexing slightly.

"Let's see if we can find Klunk," Don sighed. "We'll head home soon, anyway, and Mikey'd like to hear we looked, at least."

"Okay. I'll take the south end of the lair," Raph offered. That meant that he'd cover the kitchen, Leo's spot, Raph's space, the dojo, Master Splinter's room, and the Weaponry Closet. Don would cover his plot of the lair including the lab, the extra wing, the meditation area, and Mikey's room.

Raph carefully went through everything, checking to make sure nothing was out of place or disturbed, meaning humans had been done here. He reached each room without incident, and in the kitchen as they had predicted, he found a fat Klunk asleep.

"Hey, Klunk," Raph chuckled, tickling the cat's orange fur. "Wake up, little guy."

Klunk meowed and stretched, peering at Raph with his black eyes. The tabby circled Raph, purring harshly and sniffing him. When Raph stooped down to pick him up, Klunk launched himself into the air and locked his claws into Raph's wings.

The hothead bit back a curse and looked over his shoulder at the cat, who was hanging on happily. As Klunk raised one paw, Raph's eyes widened and he quickly picked the cat up, removing the destructive beast from tearing his wings.

"Now, that's not nice," he scolded, holding the cat gently but firmly to keep him in his arm. "Come on, Mikey wants t' see ya."

"Talking to the cat?" Don's voice teased. Raph snorted as the brainiac stepped out of the shadows, his bo strapped across his back. "Now, why would you do that?"

"Hey, he's a nice kitty," Raph laughed, petting Klunk. "And he likes me so much."

"Well, Mikey's gonna love you when you give him Klunk back. Is he fatter than when we left him?"

"Yeah, I was thinkin' the same thing. Come on, let's get outta here. Leo and Mikey should be at Beth's by now."

"Hey, Raph," Don started uneasily as they walked through the shields protecting their home. Raph jumped into the elevator before making an inquiring sound. "Why don't we move back? I can fix the roof now; I've been making some super-strong sheets from the walls of the extra rooms."

"We could, but Leo wants to keep Beth and her family protected," Raph answered. "Besides, Don, they're about to be married. Why shouldn't they want to be together? And the humans know where this is; we'd just be attacked again."

"You're right, as usual," Don sighed, stepping out as the elevator door opened. He and Raph hid in the shadows immediately and leapt from roof to roof silently. They eventually landed on Beth's roof and found Leo sitting there, on knee drawn to his chest and obviously deep in thought.

His wings twitched when Raph and Don landed, and he looked up at them thoughtfully. "We're moving the Jacksons to the lair, Don. Can you fix the roof?"

Caught off guard, Don could only nod.

"Why?" Raph demanded.

"Something's… Come to my attention. It's almost midnight, so we won't be doing that right now, but we're moving tomorrow." Leo stood up effortlessly, with the same grace that had always been admired by his brothers. "Pack your bags and help Mr. and Mrs. Jackson. Beth and Mikey are helping Lincoln. I'll be back around midnight. Until then, Raph, you're in charge."

"Wait, Fearless, where're you goin'?" Raph snarled, reaching out and clamping a hand on Leo's wrist.

"To visit an old memory… And find some answers," Leo replied, shaking Raph off and spreading his wings, forcing them back farther. "Don't stay up." With that, he was gone, winging into the night silently. Raph growled but tugged Don's arm and headed down the wall – crawling again like a fly – and jumped into Beth's room.

She was inside, staring at her ceiling. When Raph cleared his throat, she jumped and her hand was halfway to her side by the time she had realized it was a friend. Beth sighed angrily.

"Raph, don't _do_ that!" she scolded.

"You, too, huh?" Raph snorted. "Alright, enough games. Why's Fearless Leader all high-strung. You are, too, so you _know_ something." He crossed to stand next to her, staring down intensely. Don quietly left the room, Klunk in his arm.

Beth glared at him before abruptly turning onto her stomach and saying, "It's none of your business. Something Leo and I have to work out, Raph, leave it be."

"Leo's my bro, Beth, and you'll soon be my sis. What affects you affects me. What's wrong?" Raph tried to sound caring, but he knew he failed miserably.

"Nothing. It is not my place to tell you. Confront Leo, not me. It is his story and his burden." Beth seemed like she was on the edge of tears. Raph squirmed. "It should never have happened," she whispered. Raph had to listen closely to hear her.

"Fine, I'll confront Leo when he gets back," he grumped, turning around. However, Beth's startled gasp turned him back.

"Leo's left?" she asked intently. "Oh, no! I told him not to!"

"Relax, he's gone off to "visit an old memory and find some answers". Least, that's what he said."

Beth shot out of bed and paced. "Oh, Leo, you can be so _stupid_! I told you not to," she muttered to herself.

Raph was getting tired of this shared secret he couldn't be privy to, and snapped, "Beth, what's _wrong?_"

"Leo's gone after the man who hurt him, badly," she said angrily, turning to face him. Raph paled and blinked a few times. "We never told you because it was too traumatic for both of us."

"What… What happened?" Raph whispered, sitting down on the bed. Beth averted her eyes and started pacing.

"It was a few months ago… We were standing on a rooftop, just sitting there. It was beautiful; you couldn't see the stars but you could definitely see the buildings, they just went on forever. Suddenly, there was this man up there. Leo was scared out of his wits, I could tell, just by having that guy within sight. I don't know why. He told me later – after he'd fought this guy off – that his name was Sam. For the rest, you have to talk to him."

"So… This "Sam" guy. Did he have a last name?" Raph asked carefully, twirling a Sai. He hated when he heard about people being hurt, especially raped.

"Yeah, but I never found out. Leo didn't kill him, unfortunately… But after what happened on the way home, I think he's going to," Beth whispered. Raph's eyes bugged.

"What happened?"

"He came back," Beth shrugged, walking out of the room. Raph heard the shower go on a moment later and decided that he needed to talk to Mikey.

"Yeah?" Mikey asked when Raph came into the basement. The orange-banded turtle was cuddling Klunk and watching a movie.

"What happened that screwed Leo up so much, when you were coming home?" Raph asked directly. Mikey sighed and dropped his shoulders.

"All I know is that this guy came to the conference after it was out and asked to speak to Beth. Well, I let him in, figuring he was probably the owner or something. I was really thirsty, so I went to get a drink. Then I hear shouting from the conference room, and I run back. Leo's gotten really weird, his wings are wide open and he's just glaring murder at the man. Beth's hiding behind him, whimpering, and the man's laughing at her. Then he says, "I figured as much. No one could love you except a whore!" And he said it really meanly, too. Leo just went berserk, but the man ran out of there and Beth was holding Leo back, saying that she didn't want that guy dead, that he'd pay for his crimes after he died. I've never seen Leo like that, bro. He was ready to strangle someone with his bare hands!"

"Hm… Thanks, Mikey. I think I understand. Listen, get some sleep. We're moving to the lair tomorrow, and we're taking this family with us."

"But," Mikey protested, "the roof is broken. Kaput. Dead. Bust. Deceased. Shattered. Cracked. Damaged. Ruined. Destroyed. Broken. Wrecked. Derelict. Kicked the can. Cashed its chips. Pushin' up daises. How else do you want me to say it?"

"Yes, and I can fix that," Don said, coming down the stairs with a yawn. "Beth says to get to bed. She's gonna wait up for Leo. She sounds pissed. Any idea why?"

"Nope," Raph lied, shrugging. He climbed up the wall and stuck himself to it, hanging upside down, with a small sigh of contentment. He glanced down at Mikey, who was standing underneath him with a happy look.

"Good. Stay there so I don't have a heart attack when I wake up this time!" the young one joked.

"Go to sleep, Mikey," Don whined from his spot in the armchair. Raph chuckled and let his wings cover him tightly.

"Good night," Mikey cried happily. Klunk meowed loudly as Don muttered something. Raph chuckled happily.

_Well, it looks like things are brightening,_ Raph thought happily. _I've got my wings, I know how to reach another of my kind in case I have questions or just need a brother in the night. Leo's finally gotten the hang of his new strength. He's proposed to Beth. She's accepted… Life will get better._

Oh, how wrong you are. How incredibly wrong you are, Raphael…


	34. Caught RedHanded!

When Raph woke up the next morning,

When Raph woke up the next morning, he was refreshed and yawned loudly, looking down at the floor. He was clear to land, so he did so quietly. Mikey was just waking, stretching his arms up and over his head several times. Don was still muttering in a light sleep, but when Raph clipped him with his wing, the brainiac opened his eyes and looked up at Raph with a smile.

"Good morning," Raph greeted. He just felt… Good. Like everything was in its proper place, no more humans to worry about. Free.

"You think Leo's home?" Mikey whispered, looking up at Raph.

Raph smacked himself mentally. He'd completely forgotten about what Beth had told him, and that Leo had run out on a Raph-Escape, as they had come to be called.

"I dunno," Raph snorted. "Let's check it out."

"'kay," Mikey agreed. All three trooped up the stairs silently. They heard soft whispers coming from Beth's room, but the rest of the house was silent. It was just breaking dawn overhead. Today was Thursday, so Mr. and Mrs. Jackson were going to get up soon. Lincoln and Beth, too.

Raph crept closer to Beth's door, trying to avoid being heard by Leo's extra-sensitive hearing. However, the voice didn't stop, and as Don and Mikey joined him and Raph crawled up the wall to sit above the door, he listened in.

"Beth," Leo's voice said. He sounded angry… _Too_ angry. "I told you, he's fine. I couldn't get him."

"Yeah," Beth agreed. She sounded tired and sad. "I know. But… I keep thinking. What if he meant what he said?"

"Beth." Leo sounded like he was trying to comfort her. "He can't touch you anymore. I'm here, we're here. You're going to move to our lair. It's completely safe from Sam."

"Leo, I can't shake the feeling. It's ingrained in me to fear him."

"Beth Jackson," Leo said sternly, "you will soon be my wife, and if _anyone_ comes after you for _anything_, they're going to be looking at my katana in their chest." Raph nearly whistled. Leonardo sounded as angry as Raph was when the hothead was helpless to do anything to help someone.

"Oh, Leo, it may not be enough. He's a Foot ninja, one of the best. He's got connections. Hell, he's got an _army_ at his command. When they learn that we're together, they'll take me to get to you."

"Never. He's never gonna get _close_ to you. Our lair has alien technology, we've got our secret weapons, we've got our love. There's nothing that can beat that. Nothing. You hear?"

"Yes, Leo, I know. Love conquers all. But even love can't conquer death."

"There's no death in our future," Leo growled. "None. We grow up together. To hell with the rest of the world. I don't care if they never accept us. I'll have you, and we'll have each other. My brothers will probably find love of their own, maybe."

"I hope so. Maurine told me she was kinda fond of Mikey. Said he was just such a sunny kid," Beth giggled.

"That he is," Leo agreed heartily. Mikey pretended to bow, but Leo must have heard. "You know," he drawled loudly, "I think we've got ourselves some spies."

The door flung open to reveal a pissed Leo and a giggling Beth behind. Raph was the first to go down, pulled off the ceiling by his bandana. Mikey and Don were caught in Leo's wings, where they struggled valiantly to break free.

"Now, we all know you shouldn't spy, especially on me," Leo chuckled, grabbing Raph with his tail and pinning him to the floor. "So, as punishment, you're moving whatever the Jacksons tell you to and you're taking it all the way to the lair. Also, Raph and Mikey will clean out the extra meditation room, Mikey's storage, and the weight room for them to occupy. Don, you are to give them full heating and hot water accommodations."

Mikey cried out in protest. "You can't do that, Leo! You have to help, too!"

"I'm going to. But you have specific jobs, and if they're not done, you're going to practice with me for a full day, whenever I say," Leo threatened. Raph winced. Leo practiced almost constantly, interchanging his workout with meditation to keep him balanced. Even strong Raph didn't have the stamina and focus the scaled turtle had.

"Fine," the hothead grumped. Don managed a little affirmative squeak with Mikey's groans of "over-working the poor baby".

"Oh, you'll be fine," Beth scolded, slapping Mikey across the beak gently. He quieted, knowing that Beth was angry with them for listening in on their conversation. "Besides, we're going to be moving in with you. You can play with Lincoln; he's got the new Wii and a whole bunch of games."

"What?!" Mikey shrieked. Leo's wings helped muffle the sound, but the other humans in the house were startled awake. "He's got a Wii?" Mikey asked, quieter.

"Yes," Beth answered. "But you don't get to play until I say so. And that'll be when Leo tells me you're in the clear."

Mikey groaned as Raph snickered. Don merely covered his beak with his hand, suppressing a smile. Leo loosened his grip and Don and Raph set off to set the table for breakfast, and to talk with the Jacksons about life in the lair.

"I can't believe you're moving in with us," Raph said over breakfast, standing next to Don. He and Leo were on their feet facing Mr. Jackson. Mrs. Jackson sat on his left, and Beth was cuddled into Leo's plastron. Lincoln and Mikey were still upstairs, looking at Lincoln's extensive videogame collection.

"It won't be too bothersome, will it?" Mrs. Jackson asked anxiously, taking a sip of her morning coffee. Don and Raph also had mugs, but Mr. Jackson and Leo had tea. Beth was sneaking drinks from Leo's tea, and it was nearly gone. He finally sighed and gave it to her melodramatically before answering his grinning mother-in-law.

"Not at all, Mrs. Jackson. It will be safer, and we will be more free to move around in the day. As it is, we are happy here, do not take that the wrong way. But it _is_ safer for all of us, and now that Beth has started these meetings, she's a prime target for the Shredder or any number of our enemies."

"If you're sure." Mr. Jackson's voice was hesitating.

"Mr. Jackson-"

"Please, call me Dad or John," he said warmly, looking at Leo for the first alias and his brothers for the second. Raph suppressed a snicker.

"Very well… Dad," Leo said, a little embarrassed. "You're welcome to our lair. It's big enough to hold a large party, so if we gather a close-knit group, we can all meet and discuss possible plans of revealing my brothers and I."

"I still say just walking up to a priest and saying, "Will you marry us?" is the best was to go," Raph chuckled.

"First, Raph, we're not going to do have a huge priestly thing anyway. Our father can legally marry us, since he's technically a US citizen. Remember, Don hacked the main control center and got him legal papers and all? As with us, he's got agoraphobia, a fear of being out in the open around humans. Anthrophobia, it's also called." Leo was backfilling for the Jacksons.

"So, you're gonna ask him to do it?" Don asked, nodding when Mr. Jackson quietly asked if Don had actually hacked the _US Citizen people's website._

"Once we're safely situated, yes," Leo smiled. "It'll be a year or two, maybe. Until then, I'm sure Usagi, Gen, Leatherhead, the Daimyo, and all those would be more than happy to have a little celebration. Perhaps even Lord Noriyuki."

"The panda lord?" Raph queried.

"Yep. He's a good friend of Usagi's. Maybe even Tomoe Ame will come."

"Tomoe Ame? Usagi? Daimyo?" Mr. Jackson repeated, confused. "Who are they?"

"Friend of ours," Don answered. "They're a lot like we are. Except different animals. You'll see; we'll invite them and they can come on over for a party. You know, celebrating the addition of one more to the family."

"Two more, if I have my way," Beth muttered, putting on a pouty face and looking up at Leo, who blushed furiously.

"Not now," he whispered, placating her with a kiss. Raph and Don smiled widely, and Beth's parents grinned with memory hidden in their eyes. "Anyway," Leo said loudly, breaking the moment. "We'd love to have you. We'll start moving today. Raph and Don will help you however they may; I'll get Beth's stuff down there and help Mikey keep on track."

"Okay, Leonardo," Mrs. Jackson agreed.

"Please, call me Leo," the scaled turtle smiled widely.

Suddenly, a knock came at the door. Raph, Don, and Leo were instantly invisible, hidden in the few shadows in the room. Raph was actually on the ceiling, Leo was lurking in the pantry, and Don was under the table, hidden well in the shadows.

Beth went to answer the door as Mr. Jackson stood. Leo wanted to go out and see who is was, but they all knew that would be too risky.

Beth soon came back in, leading a pair of police officers, who apologized for interrupting their breakfast. Mrs. Jackson offered them tea or coffee, which they politely refused.

"We've come because a neighbor said they had seen someone land on your roof last night. Said they went in through a window. Is everything alright? The neighbor mentioned that several people had _left_ your roof," the man alleged. He had bushy eyebrows, hazel eyes, and had a bulky, but not fat, body. He had a thin mat of brown hair.

"No, everything's fine. I've never noticed anything about anyone landing on our roof. And as for someone coming in… We haven't been robbed, and as you can see, we're all here and safe, so I don't know why anyone was saying we're in trouble. We're fine," Mr. Jackson assured the police.

"Very well then," the woman said, her blonde hair tossing lightly. Her brown eyes searched the room, but didn't look up thankfully. Raph was straight above them. "We have something to discuss, then."

"Well, by all means! Would you like to take a seat?" Mr. Jackson offered, gesturing to the two seats still open on the other end of the table from Beth's parents. Beth was standing near the pantry, making it look like she was leaning against the wall miserably.

"Thank you," the man said. "By the way, I'm Officer Brown. This is my partner, Officer Jenison." He shook hands. "Sorry for not introducing ourselves earlier, but it's easier to tell if someone's under stress – like one would be if held captive, which we assumed you were when the neighbor reported the so-called "attack" – if they have very little time to get a story made up." He sat down, quickly followed by his partner.

"We received pictures from an anonymous source," Officer Jenison said hesitantly. "Before I tell you of what, I would like to ask something."

"Shoot," Mr. Jackson allowed, waving his hand slightly.

"What do you think of the Mutant Menace?" Officer Brown asked bluntly.

Beth stiffened, a reaction not lost to the cops. Mr. Jackson cleared his throat and leaned forward slightly. "I believe we should try to help these creatures. Surely, they're just as scared of us as we are of them. Isn't that how it always goes?"

"Well, that just confirms our suspicions, sir. Please stand up. You're under arrest for aiding a wanted person – er, thing."


	35. In a Zoo

Appalled, Mr

Appalled, Mr. Jackson just sat there as Officer Brown stood up, handcuffs in his right hand. Beth gasped and the turtles were tempted to save Mr. Jackson.

"Why?" Mr. Jackson demanded. "I've done nothing to help the poor creatures. I just said we _should_ help them."

"And our source got thermal images of this house. There are four extra heat signatures. Your neighbors have reported that your daughter, Beth, has been seen exiting this house with one or two covered people. She has begun meeting with a group of approximately one hundred people. Yesterday this group met and was in a conference room for a whole day, with two of the cloaked people.

"Sorry, sir, but all evidence points to you. You're coming in for questioning. If you _are_ hiding one of the mutants, we'll soon find out." As if on cue from Officer Brown, eight more policemen barged in, dressed in full assault material. Outside, the whine of a helicopter got louder, and a man on a speaker said that the house was surrounded, just like in the movies.

"Please, Mr. and Mrs. Jackson, stand up and come with me. Bring your children," Officer Jenison ordered, putting the cuffs on Mr. Jackson's wrists. Officer Brown cuffed Mrs. Jackson and Beth ran upstairs to get Lincoln, and to inform Mikey of what was happening.

Soon, all four were marched out of the house. The eight people in the kitchen backed up to the door before beginning a full house sweep. They clattered around in the living room for a few moments and Mikey arrived in the kitchen silently, going to hide with Leo.

The cops pronounced the room "clear", very loudly, and came forward to the kitchen. Raph and Don tensed, ready to bolt into the small living room.

Suddenly, a ninth man burst in, holding a screened machine in both hands. He shooed the others back and put it down, and Raph looked at that screen in interest. Leo just felt his mind panic when the men started turning in pairs towards their hiding places.

Raph leapt down, intent on a making an escape, but a quick reflex from a man with a gun stopped that idea. The hothead staggered and two humans came forward, tying him up securely. He was knocked out by the dart in his shoulder.

Don was found next, and he submitted quite quietly, but was still shot in the arm. He joined Raph plastron-down on the floor, arms and legs bound together tightly.

Leo held his breath as the men all turned to face his hiding place. Mikey whimpered softly and curled up in Leo's wing, terrified. Leonardo wrapped his wing around him gently, humming quietly to ease his nerves.

Suddenly, the door was thrown open and three men looked inside before backing up with yelps. Leo walked slowly out of the room, putting his hands behind his head to show them he wasn't going to do anything.

Mikey was silent and still in his wing, and apparently undetected. Raph and Don began to stir again, and both were knocked unconscious once more.

Leo let the men tie his hands and feet together without fighting them. He didn't want to fall unconscious, that would reveal Mikey.

However, he needn't worried. Three of the men pulled his wings open before stretching them backwards, dumping Mike out unintentionally. He was darted immediately, and soon only Leo was conscious of the four brothers.

Leo knelt by the slumbering Mikey and tested the bonds. _Too strong, _he thought sadly. _I can't break these. How did they find us?_

Leonardo was shoved roughly to his feet by four of the men, the others setting up carriers for Mike, Raph, and Donnie. He was pushed outside, wings barely fitting through the doorway. A crowd had milled about in the street, and that crowd now turned to the commotion at the front door. Several gasps, mutters, and even a couple screams could be heard.

Beth ran forward before anyone could stop her to stand next to Leo, who tried to break his wings free at least to cover her. She glared at the men before shouting, "How dare you arrest my parents and then storm our house!" _She sounds pissed,_ Leo mused. "How dare you assault our _friends_! How dare you! You had no permission to enter our house!"

"We've got a warrant, lady, now get away from that beast."

"He's not a beast, he's my future husband," she informed him coldly, holding up a hand. He blanched along with the rest of the people. Mrs. Jackson was watching proudly from the backseat of a car, and Mr. Jackson was on her other side in shadow. Lincoln was no where in sight.

"S-Say what?" the officer finally managed.

"Yes," Leo nodded, standing closer to Beth. "You heard correctly. Beth and I are engaged. Now, please release these bonds. You're cutting off the blood to my wings."

"No can do, monster. You've got an appointment with the zoo," another officer sneered hesitantly. "Miss Jackson, please step away. We're moving it now."

"No," Beth refused, latching a hand onto Leo's arm. "Leo and his brothers are not animals to be gawked at. They are human beings in soul, as truly as I am. More so than most people here. They were merely blessed with another form."

No one listened, however, and several officers came forward. They pulled Beth away and held Leo back, though he was silent and mournful, gazing at his loved one. One then rammed a needle into the base of Leo's neck.

Just as his four brothers appeared, groggy but awake, on the dollies, Leo shook his head and collapsed, nearly falling on one man who jumped lithely out of the way. Raph growled and tried to get free, but a needle was poised over his skin and he settled down.

_One of us out cold is enough,_ he decided, watching as the humans backed a large flatbed up to the still form of his brother. He snickered as they tried to heave him onto it, without success.

That was the last he saw of Leo for a few days. Raph, Don, and Mike were taken to the zoo and dumped into a deep pit, perfect for turtles. In fact, three large tortoises swam gracefully in the water surrounding the island. Raphael and Donatello sat on the back forlornly, gazing at their kin. Mikey was trying to cheer them up by swimming with the turtles in the pond, but they were silent.

Humans came by and stared at them in the thin foliage, and they were fed like the other turtles. Bishop even arrived once, standing in the crowd. Had Raph's wings not been cable-tied to his back, he would have flown up there and killed the man.

"I hope you choke on your next meal!" he yelled instead, flipping Bishop off quite soundly. He then started cursing at the man until one of the zoo guards came into the enclosure and threatened to put him in a separate cage. Raph took this opportunity to inquire about Leo.

"Oh, the other one?" the guard laughed. After a while, the humans had come to accept the talking turtles. "He's been sold to the highest bidder, so to speak. Someone's offered to keep him locked up, 'cause we can't. A man by the name of Oroku Saki."

Don and Mikey gasped, and the latter crumpled to the floor, sobbing loudly. Don comforted him as best he could until Raph joined them on the ground, hugging his brothers.

"Why now?" Mikey breathed, aware of the humans above.

"Why him?" Raph continued sorrowfully.

"He's the most exotic," Don said, trying to be matter-of-fact and failing miserably. "Plus, he surrendered. They think he's tamer than we are."

"I say it's time to blow this Popsicle stand," Raph growled. "I got a plastic knife that dropped from above. Can you guys work on my wings?"

"Sure thing. But how does that help us?"

"I can crawl up walls as well," Raph said, ignoring Don. "And I can probably take one of you at a time. We'd have to do it in the night time, and escape under cover of darkness. We'll head for the lair; if the Jacksons get out, they'll head there. Leo would, too, even if he's hurt," Raph surmised, handing a plastic knife to Don and turning his shell to him. Mikey stood up, covering their actions from the watching humans.

_A few hours later, dusk…_

"Done," Don whispered, putting down the knife. "I left a couple strands in place so it's not suspicious. You can just rip free. Now to wait."

"I gonna lie down. Keep the humans busy; play tag or something," Raph ordered, lying down on his plastron. Mikey eagerly tapped Don, shouting the customary phrase, and sprinted off with Don in pursuit.

Raph smiled and slept, knowing that he would need all of his strength later.

_That night, late…_

"Gone," Raph whispered. He and Don swam silently towards the edge of the pen, followed quickly by Mikey. They all leaned against the wall, silent and completely still, as another zoo guard passed.

Then Raph grabbed Don, shooting an apologizing look at Mikey, and started climbing. Donnie latched onto his shell, his soft breaths warming Raph's neck as he climbed slowly towards the top of the wall.

Leaving Don at the top, he dropped back down, picked up Mikey, and carted the smaller turtle up quickly. They waited in the shadows again as another human walked slowly by, waving a small flashlight to and fro.

"This way," Don whispered, pointing towards the gate in the distance. Raph nodded and gathered his feet under him. Mikey and Don shot off towards the goal; Raphael hesitated and brought up the rear to keep his brothers safe.

When they finally made it out, they faced a new dilemma. How to get to the lair without being spotted?

Raph grinned. _We run,_ he thought gleefully, giving the signal. _Or fly, as the case may be._

The winged turtle took off and swooped over the buildings, praying no one looked at him too closely. Donnie and Mikey started their run.


	36. An Informing TV Interview

Raph sighed again

Raph sighed again. They had made it safely to the lair, the roof was patched a little, and his brothers were secure.

But Leo was still missing. He could very well be dead. Raph hated the feeling of helplessness. He didn't know what to do for his big brother, and he had no idea how to help Beth and her family.

He paced restlessly, up and down. Mikey was asleep in front of him, sprawled over Raph's hammock. The youngest hadn't wanted to sleep alone. Donnie was dreaming in his lab, exhausted from the run and then welding the roof in place while Raph and Mikey held it up for him.

Raphael decided to watch the news, hopefully for a lead on how to find Beth and her family or Leo.

He sat down grumpily, watching with a bored expression as a news lady reported on the high tides being higher than regular.

"And up next, a talk with one of the Mutant Menaces," she said excitedly. "We invite you to listen in as this mutant reveals the story of its existence."

"Mikey, Don!" Raph bellowed, turning up the volume. The regular commercials played. It was the longest three minutes of his life as a moaning Mikey and drowsy Donnie joined him.

However, as the news lady came back on, they all sat straighter. "Well, we New Yorkers like to think we've seen everything. But here's something hardly anyone has seen until now. Jack, are you there?"

The screen split to reveal a middle-aged man with rich brown hair and matching eyes. He was holding a microphone and looking hesitant.

"Yes, Rebecca, I'm ready. I'm here in billionaire Oroku Saki's mansion right in downtown New York. This man has sportingly agreed to hold one of the mutants, known as MTWHS1, or Mutant Turtle with Wings, Horns, Scales, number 1. Biologists have determined that the original DNA of this creature was turtle, a pet shop turtle.

"Biologists have also determined that the mutant was – and still is – male. However, all of his organs were changed to accommodate an irregular mutation involving a winged reptile. Biologists have not confirmed what the DNA belongs to," he said.

Raph growled, "It's a dragon," and shook his head.

"Also, psychiatrists have determined, after a long talk with the mutant, that it is a sentient being, fully capable of thought equal to or greater than that of humans. Therefore, it is assumed the other three are.

"Before we meet MTWHS1, Mr. Saki has agreed to speak with us on the generosity of building and maintaining a room strong and large enough to hold the mutant."

Oroku Saki's face appeared on the other half of the screen, blocking out the news lady. He smiled as if he sensed the three brothers were watching.

"I am all too happy," he oozed, "to provide such a service to the city. I had the resources, and it is best to keep such danger in capable hands."

"Mr. Saki, how do you explain why MTWHS1 tried telling the psychiatrists that you headed a clan of evil ninjas, called the Foot?"

"Mad ravings, I suppose. I may be Japanese, but I assure you I have very little training in the martial arts. Only rudimentary, as was custom in my parent's house. Besides, who would name their clan the "Foot"? Now, shall we travel on to the turtle's containment room? We have him properly secured, so it is safe to go in and film him up close, if you wish."

The two men walked on, followed by the camera. They soon came to an observation platform, which stood above a tank like in a zoo. Raph jolted when he saw Leo's still form, crouched in the back.

"Can you explain the metal shell and plastron?" the reported asked Saki, the camera swinging around to look at the men again.

"Ah, yes. That was the work of Agent Bishop, a man who is here even now. He should be in the cage somewhere. Ah, there he is."

The camera swung around to fix on the door of the enclosure. Bishop stepped through, carrying something that looked like armor. He wore a black suit of metal, probably to keep him safe from Leo.

The hated man stopped and glanced up with a smile. The reporter, Saki, and camera man went down a couple stairs and into the room with Leo and Bishop. The scientist was grinning, his arms carefully cradling the item he had.

"Well, Bishop, what _are_ you doing?" Saki asked, standing slightly to the side.

"I'm changing a few of the components on the turtle's shell. A couple wires fried, I'm afraid. Probably the meddling of another of them. I've also constructed another remote, so our plan is moving quickly forward."

_What plan?_ Raph asked himself, leaning forward.

"Would you mind an audience?" the reported asked eagerly.

"Why not? After all, I'm sure everyone is curious about this one. A marvel of biogenetics, might I say. Quite possibly a marvel of science, as well, for we've discovered a defect in a gene."

"What does it mean for the mutant?" the reported asked.

"He's never going to stop growing. And as far as we know, that lifespan could very well be a few thousand years."

Don started. He didn't have the equipment to check on Leo's DNA strands, but he had suspected that was true. Leo had always healed faster than they had, but since his transformation, he had been healing slowly. Not enough to really hinder him all that much, but enough to be noticeable.

Mikey gasped along with Raph. _Leo's always gonna grow? I wonder how big he'll get,_ Mike thought.

"This is MTWHS1, also known as Leonardo," Bishop said, pressing a button on his wrist. A form shifted in the shadows under a fake tree, and Leo stepped out of the dusky corner. He had metal along his arms and legs, strapped to him like a brace. His wings were loose, and he wasn't tied to anything.

"I thought you said he was secured!" the reporter shouted, backing up as Leo took another menacing step forward.

"He is," Bishop chuckled. "He has no control over his own movements. I control him, and when this goes on, I'll be able to control him with just my mind through neural interfacing and transmitting." Bishop brandished the metal thing in his arms.

Leonardo stood before his hated enemies with an ease that said he really wasn't in control. Raph also chuckled to himself. At last, the mighty leader was helpless! He sobered, however.

The camera followed Bishop hesitantly as the scientist walked around Leo until he was facing his shell. Then he put down the metal, took out a screwdriver, and unscrewed the display panel.

The reported chatted with Saki in the background, but Raph was intent on Bishop as he twisted a few wires in the fake shell, clearing a space for the metal board. He installed it with quick ease, took a wire from it and plugged it into the main circuit board, and then screwed the display panel back on quickly.

He stepped back and punched in a few clicks on his wrist watch. Leonardo collapsed, nearly hitting the camera with his right wing.

"Initializing upload sequence. We're live in five… four… three… two… one!"

Leo's eyes opened but he didn't move until Bishop jerked his head a little. Leonardo leapt to his feet then, but his face was taut as if trying to resist something.

"Leonardo," Saki said, turning to the turtle. "Bishop, is he responding well?"

"Very well," Bishop laughed, his fingers twitching unconsciously. Leo brought his arms up in a block. "I have full control."

"Excellent. Well, Mr. Wandal, would you like to see the power of this titanic turtle?" Saki asked, leading the way into another room. It turned out to be a glass booth. Bishop and Leo appeared in the room they were looking at, which was filled with weights and obstacle courses.

Bishop's fingers twitched a little and Leo walked slowly over to the free weights. Raph felt anger boil up in him. His brother, helpless at the power of Shredder and Bishop! That was their collective worst nightmare.

Leo continued lifting the weights easily; showing strength Don said was from his "super-muscles" that helped him control his heavy wings. They were very dense, which was the reason he'd grown from a light four hundred pounds to a thousand in so little time.

Then their graceful brother went through the obstacle courses, moving lithely and obviously to the satisfaction of Bishop. As the camera followed Leo, Saki spoke about the things his biologists had discovered.

After about twenty more minutes, Bishop called up to Saki that Leonardo was starting to resist his control – and getting better at it.

"Well, I think this interview is all wrapped up," Saki said, showing the reported and camera man to the door. The news lady appeared on the full screen again, and Raph shut the TV off angrily.

"Well, we know where he is," Mikey said timidly. "And we know that Bishop has full access to him."

"What we know is that he's in trouble!" Raph shouted, standing up and pacing. "We've gotta go rescue him!"

"We need to know about Beth and her family first. Leo'd never forgive us if we saved him first without worrying about the Jacksons."

"Fine," Raph hissed. "Let's just waltz up the police station and say, "Hi, I'm an escaped mutant turtle looking for my brother's fiancé, Beth Jackson" and hope they don't dart us again."

"Why not? Wear disguises, find out where she is. Say we're relatives of her family, want to know what's going on," Mikey suggested, standing.

"Let's go," Raph growled, heading for the rack at the front door with their trench coats on it.


	37. Greetings for the Fiancés

Raph growled to himself, wishing he was able to shape shift into human form

Raph growled to himself, wishing he was able to shape shift into human form. The police were not believing Mikey's act, and they had agreed – courtesy of Don's logical speaking – that Raph would be a little too aggressive for the job.

"Come on, come on, come on," Raph muttered to himself, watching from the shadows to the side of the doorway. He was engulfed in a trench coat, as was Donnie to his right.

"Alright, sir, we'll ask Mr. Jackson if he knows you," the police man finally said. "What was your name again?"

"Hamato Michelangelo," Mikey answered happily. "Can you hurry, please? I'd like to speak to my cousin about the rumors about being "engaged"."

"Keep your hat on, sir, we'll ask Mr. Jackson right now. Please have a seat."

Mikey gave Raph a "thumbs up" when his back was to the cop and sat in the uncomfortable plastic chair.

Presently, the cop came back in with a puzzled expression. "Mr. Jackson said he'd see you," he said to Mikey. "And your brothers."

Raph and Donnie joined him as he followed the cop through the metal detector and into the jail. They had left their weapons and shruiken behind.

"In here, sir, Mr. Jackson and his family are waiting." The cop opened a door and let them through, closing it.

"Cousin!" Mr. Jackson greeted warmly, hugging Mikey. "So glad you could make it."

Raph noticed the cameras in the room and kept his coat on, clapping Mr. Jackson over the shoulder. In that gesture, he slipped the neatly written note from Donnie about how they stood. Mr. Jackson hid it deftly in his pocket.

Then Mrs. Jackson, Beth, and Lincoln stood up, greeting their "cousins".

"Where's Leo?" Beth whispered to Raph as she hugged him. He winced; she looked up at him.

"Um… Not here," Don supplied quietly. "He's being held by the Shredder, Oroku Saki."

"What?" she whisper-screamed.

Raph quickly put his hand over her mouth. Mikey was chatting with Mr. Jackson in hopes that the men at the camera booth would concentrate on them.

"He's fine… Physically. Mentally he's probably pissed, but hey, we're talking about Leo here," Raph said softly. "We had to check on you first."

"Wait a minute. Did you guys escape from the zoo?"

"Yeah, and we've bunked at the lair. If you guys get set free, come there. Do _not_ go home; the Foot are watching your place probably, and as soon as they figure out we're not hiding in the zoo, they'll double the watch on your house, figuring we'd go there instead of the lair."

"Alright," Beth whispered. "Mom and Dad will be questioned, but we're gonna hold to the lie that they didn't know anything. Only Lincoln and I did. He's excused because they think I talked him into it, and I probably could have. Really, I'm the only one who'll be here for a while, but I'm being transferred to the mental institute in a few days."

"Why?" Don asked, stunned.

"Um… It probably wasn't the brightest idea to announce Leo and my engagement. The cops think I'm crazy. Sorry."

"Can't you just kinda say that we had threatened you or something? Told you that unless you defended us, we'd hurt your family?"

"It might work. They'd believe it. But then they'd think you're cruel. You're not," Beth added lamely. She sighed and leaned into Raph. "What's up with Leo?"

Raph glanced at Don, who hesitated as well. Beth looked up at him. "What's wrong?" she repeated, with a steely edge to her voice.

"Don't go nuts, Beth, but Leo ain't Leo anymore," Raph said quietly, holding his hand over her mouth in case she decided to shout or scream.

"Explain," she merely said icily. Raph winced. If she ever got out of here, Saki had better watch his back. She looked ready to kill.

"Well… How to put this. Basically, Bishop's messed with Leo's brain and now Bishop controls him through neural interfacing and transmitting. Leo's incapable of rational thought…again," Don clarified. "He can't break free unless I mess with the wiring in his new shell again."

"Um… What's Saki up to?" she asked.

"Probably training him to become Karai's right-hand turtle. Or Saki's left-hand general. Or just to send him out after the rest of us. I don't really know," Don admitted.

"Time's up!" a cop yelled through the door. Beth backed away from Raph and shot him a glance.

"Return my fiancé," she merely whispered. "Please. We'll help however we can."

Mr. Jackson nodded and sat down again as the door clanged open, revealing the same pushy cop that Mikey had convinced to let the Jacksons decide if they could be allowed to visit.

Mikey and Don preceded Raph out, and all three trooped down blocks randomly to lose any pursuers. They soon ascended to the roofs, leaping in the falling dusk towards their home.

When they got to the warehouse, Don punched in the complicated code to call up the elevator, and they piled in with sighs of released tension. Raph shrugged his trench coat off, as did Don, but Mikey kept his on for a moment longer, lost in thought. Raphael hit him over the head gently to wake their younger brother up before the joker would take his coat off with a tired grin.

"So, now what?" Don asked.

"Now we save Leo," Raph ordered. "Get your battle suits on. I think we've got spares in Leo's room."

The door opened and the three ninjas jogged quickly to Leo's room. Mikey pushed his futon away, opened the hole in the floor, and took out the spare battle suits. Don donned his and ran into his lab to get some big bombs, smoke screens, and a few other gadgets. Raph stocked up on weapons, while Mikey grabbed one of the old needle-shooting guns from the mutant bug outbreak. Don had created this for Leo to use. No one thought they might have to use it on their leader.

Strapping the thing to his back, Mikey rejoined his brothers in the kitchen. Don forced them to eat, in case they had to hide out for a while. They'd need the energy anyway. Mikey found the food strangely tasteless, and he ate only because Don forced him to with threats of pizza deprivation when everything got back to normal.

"Let's go," Raph growled when he had finished the high-energy shake Don had made for him. Mikey jumped up, running for the elevator and keying in the code. Donatello and Raphael joined him, ready to save their big brother.

When they came to Saki's building, after jumping from roof to roof directly to the largest skyscraper, Don halted and listened to Raph growl impatiently.

"Here's the plan," Don said quietly. "We hit hard and fast. We get Leo out of there – stunned, if possible." Mikey glanced at him and then pulled out the tranquilizer gun. "We can't chance Bishop gaining control while we're getting out. I can stun him if you want, Mikey."

"No, I'll do it. If what you say is true, he'll be less wary of me," Mikey sighed.

"Alright. Raph, you need to find Bishop and grab that remote. I hate to split up the team, but we can't leave Bishop any way to track or control Leo. Mikey, I'll stay with you. If I need to re-wire some stuff immediately – if there's a proximity bomb or something in his shell I'll need to disable it. We're not here for revenge on Saki, so unless he's in your way, stay out of his. We can't jeopardize this mission."

"Alright, enough talking," Raph grumbled, spreading his wings. "See you back at the lair. Be careful," he added quietly. Then he flapped his wings and was gone, soaring in the night towards the building across from them.

Don and Mikey descended to ground level, knowing that Saki kept his Foot headquarters and bunks in the top half of the building and Leo was in the lower half.

They managed to make it inside unseen, but Don wasn't hoping for much past that.

Meanwhile, Raph was sneaking in through an open window, heading for the smell of Bishop he'd long since memorized.

_This'll be fun,_ he thought evilly, sneaking into another lab that had a lot of Bishop smell.

His target was inside, but so was someone else.

_Shell,_ Raph thought to himself angrily. He stepped towards Bishop loudly.

Leo turned. Bishop smiled.

"Well, well, well. What have we here?" He smiled at the angry look on Raph's face and turned his gaze to Leo. "Well, what are you waiting for? Attack!"

And Leo did.


	38. Operation: SAVE LEO

Raph cursed as Leo's fist traveled swiftly towards his head. The smaller turtle dodged him and rushed at Bishop, figuring that he could knock the scientist out and maybe calm Leo down a little.

"Ah, ah, ah," Bishop tisked, jerking his finger slightly. Leo stomped up behind Raph and reached down clumsily. Had he been himself, Leo would have been disgusted with the way he was moving, like a badly-controlled puppet.

Leo's eyes bored into Raph as the lithe turtle jumped away. The same soul-less eyes that had been on his big brother since he'd given up his soul to the Ninja God. It pained Raph to see those eyes again.

"Raph!" Mikey's voice called. The orange-banded turtle jumped in and surveyed the scene. Don ran in a moment later, puffing and out of breath.

"Well, looks like we found Leo," Mikey joked.

"Raph, get the remote. We'll handle Leo," Don ordered. Though he was supposed to be in charge, Raph did as he was told without hesitation. He jumped at Bishop while Don and Mikey tried to get a clear shot in to tranquilize Leo.

"You stinking coward!" Raph roared as a flood of Foot ninja entered the lab, attack him and Donnie, who covered for Mikey as the hyper turtle tried to get close enough to Leo to stick a needle in a vein somewhere.

Raph and Don bumped into each other in a corner, and were knocked down by Mikey, who was thrown by Leo. Bishop grinned evilly as he held up his hand, halting the attacks of the turtle and the Foot.

Leo stood behind Bishop as the scientists stared at the turtles. He spoke calmly. "Since you've obviously escaped the laughable excuse for a holding cell in the zoo, we'll have to keep you here for a while. I see you've come to understand how… _fragile_ and _breakable_ the brotherly bond is. At least, how fragile Leonardo's is."

"You're controlling him through neural implants," Don spat. "His bond with us is out of play!"

"And let me tell you, when we rescue him, you're gonna pay!" Raph snarled. Leo shifted behind Bishop, whose hand twitched again. "Ah, so it ain't as flawless as ya think, eh, Bish?"

"Nonsense. I have full control."

Leo stirred again and Bishop's eye twitched.

"R-Raph," Leo whispered, his hand drifting towards his face. Bishop snarled again and clenched a fist. The large turtle straightened and grinned maliciously.

"Leo, bro, fight it! Fight him!" Raph called, twirling his Sai. "Ready, bros?" he asked his brothers behind him.

"Cowabunga!" Mikey cried, signaling for an attack. Bishop twitched his hand and Leo met the attack easily, backed by a hundred Foot soldiers.

"Mikey, tranq him!" Raph called, kicking a Foot in the face. Don swung his Bo into the stomach of another.

Mikey clambered up Leo's side, getting the needle ready. Leo was busy trying to deflect ruthless attacks from Raph, and Mikey reached his neck quickly.

"Look out below!" he called playfully as he jabbed the needle into his brother's heaving neck. Leo stiffened and Raph backed off, fighting a few of the Foot. Weaving drunkenly, Leo shook his head and growled.

"Tim-BER!" Mikey cried as Leo's knees buckled. He jumped off and warned Raph away from the twitching body. The three turtles continued to fight the Foot, a seemingly endless horde of bodies that rushed at them.

"Well, ain't this cute," Raph spat, punching another Foot in the side. "Bishop can't fight anymore, Leo's down and out, and we're just gonna hafta fight our way outta this buildin' while carrying a thousand-pound turtle."

"No, we're not," Don huffed, his shell blocking a Foot's nunchuck. He retaliated quickly and continued fighting as he spoke. "There's a portable containment tube that'll carry him and follow us over there. Probably salvaged from one of the Triceraton ships. If we can get it near him, I can make it carry Leo for us. It'll drive itself, too."

"Great. Uh! Now all we gotta do is get the shell outta here!"

"I'm working on it," Don growled, turning his shell to a Foot with a Bo. The wood cracked against his shell and he swung out behind him, knocking the man down. "Ha! That's for not having a shell!"

Bishop was crossing to a computer console, probably to call in more guards. Raph cursed and leapt over the Foot to jump on his arch enemy, who ducked just in time.

"What's the matter? Scared now that you don't have big bad Leo to help you?"

"Inferior beast," Bishop hissed. "You will never defeat me."

"Ha! Watch me!" Raph laughed, jumping up again and spinning, his feet lashing at Bishop's midsection. The scientist avoided it easily, grabbing a katana from a downed warrior.

Bishop faced off again, holding the katana easily.

"You're goin' _down!_" Raph shouted, attacking again. Bishop continued to be on defense. Raph risked a glance at Don and Mikey and found them doing well. Almost all of the Foot were down, and Don was actually looking at the tank they could put Leo in, typing commands into the panel on the side.

Raph snorted lovingly. The brainiac knew what he was doing, and Raph would make sure he was safe to do it. He blocked another strike, and Bishop charged abruptly for him. Raph was forced to return most of his attention back to the scientist.

"Take _that_!" Mikey laughed as he knocked the last Foot down, the crack of wood on a skull making Don wince slightly.

Mikey bounced away to help Raph, who seemed to be holding his own against Bishop. He distracted the man and Raph was able to score a hard punch that knocked Bishop's head against a metal table and knock him out thoroughly.

"Al-_right!_" Mikey cheered, slipping his nunchucks away and grinning foolishly at Raph who smacked him gently.

"Let's get outta here," he ordered. "Donnie, what can we do?" he asked, turning to the brainiac.

"I've got it. It'll grab Leo and fall in with us; it can go silent and invisible. Let's head out; we have just enough time with Leo's metabolism to get to the lair before he wakes up." Don typed in a command on the keyboard and the tank moved to Leo's side, seemingly measuring him before straps shot out and grabbed the large turtle's arms, wings, tail, and legs. It pulled him into the tube, strapped him down quickly, and shut the door tightly.

"That's it," Don nodded, smiling a little. "Let's get out of here!"

"I agree with ya there, Don," Raph chuckled, looking out into the corridor and signing for them to follow quickly.

_About an hour later…_

"Alright, we're home," Don sighed, giving the tank a little push out of the elevator. It had been a little bit of a squeeze, but at least Leo wasn't awake yet. "Raph, Mikey, help me clear out Leo's room so we can put him in there. Then I'll get to work on these implants."

Raph shoved Mikey ahead of him, telling the young turtle that he could have a snack later. Don followed slowly with the holder, knowing that it would take very little time to clear a space in Leo's small room.

Raphael smirked when he noticed that Don was nervous as they pushed Leo's futon – almost the only piece of furniture other than sword stands and weapon racks – against the wall and stood it up carefully. Then they put the tank in the middle of the room.

Don brought in a whole bunch of equipment with Raph's help while a ravenous Mikey destroyed a large pizza he'd warmed in the oven. Klunk was sitting next to him at the table, getting little mouthfuls of cheese from Mikey's pizza when the youngster felt inclined to spoil his kitty.

Just as Raph was bringing in a large machine that had several buttons on it, Leo awoke. Don watched carefully as Leo looked around his tank, seeming confused. Then his eyes alighted on Donnie and he smiled happily.

"Oh, hey, Don," Leo greeted casually. "Uh, what's going on?"

"Hey, Leo," Raph grunted, putting the machine down with a small moan. "Are ya sure you need that, brainiac?"

"Leo, are you in control of yourself?" Don asked, ignoring his temperamental brother.

"Um, yeah," Leo scoffed, trying to get up but finding himself strapped down to the table in the tank. "What's going on?"

"I'm sending you to sleep, Leo, so I can destroy what Bishop did. He's able to control you, so I'm not taking any chances. Sorry. Just relax; it'll be all over in a few minutes, to you."

Don pushed a button and sleeping gas entered the chamber. Leo nodded, his eyes showing full trust in his brother as they closed sleepily, the red irises glowing for a moment before the eyelids shut all the way with a gentle breath from Leo.

Don prepared himself for the operation and told Raph to scrub up thoroughly. A brain scan had revealed several little receivers, and Don needed someone to hand him tools while he opened Leo's head up and took out the devices.

Don kept his stomach down with a gulp. He'd never operated like this before. Sure, he'd done a few little things, like straightening a broken finger, but never such a delicate procedure.

"Well, here goes nothing… And if I screw up, everything," Don muttered to himself, opening the tank door and rolling Leo onto his plastron after untying the secure belts.

He administered a pain medication just in case and then put the scalpel on Leo's scaly head. Raph looked away.


	39. Worry

A/N: Dun dun dun dun… Alright, sorry for the wait

**A/N: Dun dun dun dun… Alright, sorry for the wait. We're doing some big stuff here in the little town of Ouray. Dead Man Walking, NWEA, AP testing, track, field, soccer… On top of regular school and life! Well, hope you all have a good day.**

**SPEACIAL ANNOUNCEMENT: THIS STORY IS NOW DEDICATED TO LEO ONEAL FOR HER OUTSTANDING REVIEWS AND IDEAS ON HOW TO MOVE THE STORY ALONG. I ADMIT I WAS FLOUNDERING. THANK YOU VERY MUCH. EVERYONE, CLAP FOR LEO ONEAL.**

Maurine sighed and pushed her hair back. Beth was in counseling, so she couldn't hear Maurine's new plan. She smiled warmly at the officer in front of her.

"Well, then, I'll just be moving on," she said carefully, walking away as casually as she could manage.

_How to contact so many people, _she wondered as she drove down the busy streets. It took her almost three hours to reach her home on the other side of town, and most of that time involved sitting around in her car.

She was pretty tired and cranky when she got home.

Consequently, when a shadow jumped out at her in her own home, she immediately swung at it with her heavy purse. A muffled "Ow" rewarded her efforts.

"Whoever you are, this is _so_ not the time," she huffed, edging towards the phone.

"Calm down, Maurine. It's me, Mikey," the shadow told her with a familiar voice. Maurine's heart fluttered again.

"What's going on?" she asked, stepping forward and putting an arm on his skin. His hand covered hers lightly.

"Leo's in trouble… Big trouble," he explained, his voice tired and sad.

"Wait. Did you break out of the zoo?"

She could feel him smile. "We sure did," he laughed. "Raph crawled up the walls with Don and then me."

"Alright, now tell me about Leo."

"We've got him contained, for now. He's really freaking strong."

"Yeah, duh," Maurine chuckled hesitantly. "Can I offer you something to drink?"

"No, thanks, I'm just here to check up on you and see if you could give me the gist of what's going on with Beth and her family. Leo's not going to calm down unless we give him some good news. So far, all he's been able to do is freak out that Beth was threatened with mental counseling. And he's freakin' out over attacking us, although Don promised he wasn't responsible. Also, Don can't get him to take a sedative so he can mess with Leo's shell so it won't kill him. We're really worried about that remote that can literally shut Leo's heart on and off."

"Wow," Maurine breathed, leading the turtle into her dark bedroom. "It's the only room without big windows," she said. "Or the bathroom, but that's a mess and not a very good meeting place."

Mikey chuckled and sat down on the bed, Maurine joining him as soon as she put her purse on a hook on the ruby-colored walls. Her bed and dressers were different shades of red, the doorway was also red. Maurine noticed Mikey's gaze traveling around the room.

"Yeah, I liked the color red," she said sheepishly.

"Too bad the turtle who wears it isn't exactly inclined to visit you," Mikey chuckled. "Don't take it personally. He isn't leaving Leo's side. Mostly because if Raph isn't near by, Leo'd make a break for it. He's really stressed."

"What can I do to help?" Maurine asked, putting her hand on the unsmiling turtle's shoulder.

He grinned a little and put his hand on hers. She was surprised to find it wasn't very warm, in fact it was quite cool to the touch.

"We can't ask for your help," he protested softly. "We've put Beth in danger enough already. But… If you could find out what's happened to her and her family…"

"I know already. Beth's in mental counseling, Mr. Jackson is talking to a few law enforcers, Mrs. Jackson and Lincoln are going to be returned home soon."

"By the surprise in your voice, you didn't know we had escaped. Do you think anyone does?"

"Oh, I'm sure the zoo knows by now. They must be keeping it quiet so the public at large doesn't panic. After all, you're "highly dangerous animals capable of seduction", if I quote the guard."

"Really? I mean, sure, we _can_ be dangerous. But as I recall, we weren't exactly allowed to surrender when the police stormed the Jackson's house. Shot, bagged, and caged." Mikey shuddered. "You know what? Humans are real beasts when they're scared, huh?"

"Absolutely," Maurine sighed. "And I'm one of them."

"You're different," Mikey insisted. "You're not screaming right now, for instance."

She punched him playfully. He glanced around and then punched her back careful not to hurt her. Soon they were wrestling on the floor, Mikey being cautious about where he placed his soft punches. He'd never hold back with his brothers, Raph especially, but Maurine was a "fragile human girl-woman," as he said.

Once they had wrestled for a while, Mikey stood up and thanked her. She blinked and he was gone, the window open where it had not been before. Maurine smiled to herself. _It's good to have friends,_ she thought. _And maybe, a boyfriend?_

_Back at the lair…_

"I'm telling you, Leo, she's fine," Raph insisted for what felt like the millionth time that hour. "Beth'll be just fine. Better off than you if you don't let Donnie work on your shell."

"Raph, she's in trouble because of us. Because of me," Leo said, pacing like a caged animal. Raph was between him and the door, and Donnie had bolted and locked the normal entrance. The elevator had been programmed with a code, and they had not let him in on the combination yet.

"Leo, please let me undo what Bishop did," Don begged, coming forward with a small syringe. Leo backed up and glared at the two.

"No!" he nearly shouted, turning his shell on them. The screen was blinking with high levels of stress and anger. "I _need_ to find out what happened to Beth. She's in trouble, they are all, because of us! Because of me."

"She wouldn't want you to put yourself in danger for her sake," Raph said, as gently as he could. He came forward and put an arm on Leo's elbow, a gesture Raph rarely made. "Come on, bro. She's fine; we just talked to her before we busted you out of Shredder's fortress. Bishop can still kill you. Let Donnie take that risk away."

Leo pulled away, heading for the dojo. Raph glanced at Don and waited until Leo was in the dojo, beating the punching bag with a Raph-like attitude. Then he waved for Don to follow him and they went into the room farthest from Leo, the kitchen.

"Don, I'm really worried," Raph confessed quietly. "Bishop is probably waiting for us to appear again, and then he'll knock Leo out and grab him while we're busy with Foot ninjas."

"I know, Raph. That's probably what he'd do. But Leo doesn't _want_ to let me mess with the wiring." Don sighed, looking at the liquid-filled needle in his hand.

"If I tire him out a bit sparring… I could pin him and you could inject him with that," Raph sighed, shaking his head. "I don't want to knock him out forcefully, but we may have to."

"Yeah," Don agreed heartlessly. "Alright, I'll be by in a few minutes. I want to set up the lab. It'll take you a while to wear him out enough anyway."

"He hasn't slept. It'll be easy," Raph snorted. The red-wearing turtle jogged back towards the dojo. Leo was still beating on the punching bag, but with less enthusiasm.

"Yo, Fearless, wanna spar?" Raph called, drawing his Sai and throwing them away. "Hand to hand."

"Sure," Leo accepted, turning from his activity and unsheathing his katana, laying them gently on a rack nearby. Then he faced Raph.

Mikey walked in to find Leo and Raph rolling on the floor of the dojo, wrestling. Raph looked like he was having fun, and Leo looked kind of tired. They rolled back into the dojo and Mikey laughed, following them. Donnie met him at the doorway, a syringe in one hand. He motioned for silence and walked quietly into the large room.

Raph and Leo were panting, Raph straddling Leo's waist. The blue-wearing turtle's arms were out from his sides, above his head, and pinned there with Raph's strong grip. Leo was grinning slightly, his metal plastron pushing weakly against Raphael without any effort. The smaller turtle rose with the leader's breaths.

Don suddenly shot into the scene, and before Leo could react, had plunged the needle into the scaled turtle's shoulder between two scales. Mikey winced; that _had_ to hurt.

Indeed, Leo gasped a little but didn't move otherwise, probably afraid of breaking off the needle point.

Raph sat on Leo as Don pulled the needle back out and blinking sorrowfully. Leo squirmed a little and threw Raph off him gently. He sat up and put a hand on his head.

"Oof. What did you do that for?" Leo accused, his words slurred and thick. Don glanced at Raph, who stood up and stared at the larger turtle.

"Nighty night, Leo," Mikey said. "Let me guess. Raph distracted him so Donnie could sedate him so he can mess with the wiring in his shell?"

"Correct," Raph nodded with a small smile.

A crash announced that Leo had fallen back down, out cold. His tail thumped on the floor slightly, but he was still otherwise.

"Okay. Now how are we going to move him?" Mikey asked, cocking an eyebrow. Donnie slapped himself in fake anger.

"Crap," Raph cursed. "Great."

"Can we at least roll him over?" Mikey wondered.

"Maybe," Raph snorted. "He's pretty heavy, though."

"Let's try," Donnie suggested.


	40. Good News

A/N: Please read the end of my bio, all of my regular readers

**A/N: Please read the end of my bio, all of my regular readers. I want more opinions about starting a new story. Leo Oneal has put in her two cents about it, saying I should finish the two remaining stories in the "Changed" series; lorientmnt has said that I should start it soonest. That would mean I'd write **_**it**_** and Mikey and Don's stories. So, PM me or I won't write it. I want to know that people will read it. **

Don sighed as he lifted the shell covering from Leo's back. Bare skin was no where to be found; wires ran to and fro, some entering Leo's skin behind his neck. Raph gulped behind the brainiac and Mikey ran for the trash can. Beneath his gentle hands, Leo groaned a little as Don moved the wires to see what was new.

"Man. Look at this thing. It looks… Like Bishop was planning something huge!" Don whispered, grabbing his pair of special wire scissors and cutting through a few near the edge. "These were for control," he said. "This is going to take a while. Raph, go to my lab and grab another tranq. I don't want Leo to really wake up for this. It might hurt."

Raph trooped out just as Mikey reappeared. He knelt next to Don and held the metal shell covering so the wires connecting Leo to it weren't stressed.

"Alright, let's get this show on the road," Don muttered, cutting another wire.

_A few hours later…_

Leo groaned as he shook his head. His back felt like it was on fire! Don was murmuring something and an electric drill was going. He felt something on his back being pushed against him, and stayed still.

"There we go, all done. Leo, are you awake?" Don asked.

"Yeah," Leo grunted, pushing himself to his knees. "What'd you do?"

"I destroyed the controllers and heart-stopper again," Don said, patting Leo on the back. "And I disabled a few of the functions of your screen. Privacy, you know."

"Thanks." Leo stood up and wobbled gently, but Don didn't make any move to help him. Leo was simply too heavy. Raph snickered as he watched his leader slowly shake his head.

"I think you'd better get something to drink and eat," Don suggested.

"Wait. How's Beth?" Leo asked, startled. "Where is she? Where's her family?"

"Whoa, calm down, bro," Mikey laughed. "I talked to Maurine. Beth's in mental counseling, but she should be released soon. Her family is fine; Mr. Jackson is doing something with the courts."

"Beth's in mental counseling?" Leo repeated, stunned.

"Yeah, but when we saw her she said she expected it to happen like that. She gave her ring to Maurine, so they can't take it away from her. She'll get it back as soon as she's released."

"Mental counseling?" Leo parroted again. Mikey nodded and grinned.

"Anyone else hungry?" Mikey asked, planning a nice dinner. They needed some food.

"Shell yeah," Raph huffed.

"Language," Leo reprimanded.

"English," Raph shot back. "Get used to it."

"Raph, English is all well and good, but we _don't _need you cussing if we have to speak to the humans. How many people will like a mutant with a bad mouth?" Leo lectured.

"Of course, he could also be worried about Leo Juniors running around and talking like Raphie," Mikey giggled.

Leo blushed and muttered something that sounded like, "Nosy little brothers," as Raph snickered.

"No," Leo finally argued. "I'm not worried about that. It's probably impossible." Before Don could muse over the compatibility of humans and them, Leo hurried on with a smirk. "I just don't want Raph scaring off _his_ eventual mate with his cussing. You never know."

"I ain't marrying no one, Fearless Leader," Raph growled.

"That's a double negative, making it a positive, meaning that you just said that you _would_ marry someone," Don chuckled.

"You know what I mean, Donnie," Raph snorted. He walked out of the dojo, followed quickly by his two brothers. Mikey was already in the kitchen, having left while the three others were preoccupied.

"Wow. That smells like heaven," Don sighed, sitting down with a groan. "Ugh. Leo, you really need to lose a few pounds. It was really hard just turning you over!"

"Don't blame me," Leo whined. "You said yourself, if I were to get any lighter we'd have a problem."

"I know, I know. I'm just looking out for Beth," Don chuckled.

"What- Oh, funny," Leo said sarcastically, rolling his eyes as he helped pass out dishes. He stood, not really feeling like sitting down, as Mikey brought out three large pizzas. Leo alone devoured one, and the other two were gobbled mostly by Raph and Mikey. Don had about a third of one, a "normal" amount for the teenagers.

Leo jumped when his Shell Cell began to ring. He was lounging on the floor of the living room, sedated and "sunning", as Don described it. All the winged turtle knew was that he needed a sunny rock and made do with sitting under the heater with his wings spread like sails. Mikey was next to him, focusing on the comic book at hand.

He looked up as Leo answered the Shell Cell, though. Raph and Don looked over from their post watching TV.

"Hello?" Leo asked, sitting up slightly. He listened intently to the voice on the other end of the phone and then smiled. Mikey made smoochie noises and was promptly hit over the head with Leo's wing gently.

"Alright, I'll be right there," Leo said, closing the phone and ginning as he jumped to his feet. "That was Beth. She's out, they decided that she's mentally stable now. Her house is being watched, though, so she and the rest are moving down here. I'm gonna go get them, you guys clean this place up. Beth and I will be in my room, Mr. and Mrs. Jackson can be in Splinter's and Lincoln can sleep in the meditation room."

"Oookay." Raph turned to Donnie as Leo disappeared into the dojo to grab his katana and a handful of shruiken. "I sense we'll be needing a very thorough cleaning."

"I must concur," Don sighed, switching the TV off and standing. "We'll also need to let Leo out. I'll unbolt the door. Would you teach him the elevator code?"

"Alright. Mikey, hop to!" Raph ordered, kicking Mikey brotherly. The orange-banded turtle whined as he jumped up and raced off to clean up the kitchen. Raph showed Leo the code and the turtle was gone in a heartbeat. Chuckling, the red-wearing ninja started picking up the dojo, storing the weapons away like they did when Casey visited.

Raph wished they could speak to Casey. Leo and Don had agreed that to contact Casey and April would be foolish and dangerous for both parties, but Raph really wanted to bust some head with his best friend.

Don was probably missing the long, late-night talks he had with April about something on the internet or some such. Raph smiled. Don and April were really close, but only friends. Casey was trying to win the woman's hand.

Leo returned later, Beth and her family in tow. They had a few bags packed, but nothing too much. As they stepped from the elevator, Beth gasped and looked around. So did her family, after staring for a moment.

"So, what do you think?" Leo asked, smiling. He pulled Beth closer as Mikey and Raph took the family's bags into the appropriate rooms.

"I love it!" Beth exclaimed. "You weren't kidding when you said we'd all fit easily."

"Yeah," Mikey said, coming back in with a large grin plastered on his face.

"It used to be Elantian. The power source is that crystal piece in the ceiling. It powers the elevator," Don explained. "And we don't know how, but we can activate a defense system that allows only the identities of the people – or turtles – I program in to pass through doorways and such. Amazing, really. The Elantians were really something."

"Welcome," Raph greeted civilly. "Hungry?"

"No, we already ate," Mr. Jackson said. "Thank you, though. And thank you all for offering to let us stay here."

"No problem, dude!" Mikey laughed. "There's plenty of room for all." He gestured around. "Oh, and we've got TV down here. Don't be shy about using it. I'll give you the tour if you want?"

"Sure," Beth said. Leo tagged along, his hand always on Beth's shoulder or hugging her waist.

An hour later, after a quick tour of the place, Mr. Jackson suggested that they all get to bed. Lincoln was showed to his room by Don, Beth followed Leo to their's, and Raph showed the parents to Splinter's room.

"Good night," Beth called to everyone. Seven voices answered in varying forms of a "good night". Leo merely wrapped his arms around her and kissed her soundly, smiling at the expression on her face as she was swept into bed.

"Good _night, _Fisae," she said firmly.

"Leo, Beth, get to bed!" Raph ordered from outside the door, pounding on it once to prove his point. Leo sighed and let Beth up so she could change.

"It's nice to have you here," Leo admitted, lying on his plastron and watching Beth as she slipped into a pair of silk pajamas. She then crawled under the covers and he flung his wing out to cover her. He slept on top of the covers but was plenty warm with his left wing tucked near him to insulate him.

Leo dreamed of what it would be like to have a family, kids and all.


	41. Training

A/N: Alright, got one more note on the new story idea… Need some more, please

**A/N: Alright, got one more note on the new story idea… Need some more, please. So far the vote is in favor of writing the new story I had an idea about BEFORE the next in the "Changed" series. If you want this to continue, please PM me. My bio has the information on it. Thanks for reading.**

**BIG ANNOUNCEMENT: I have passed the 100 review mark. Thank you, everyone who reviewed. Including: ChibiLover13, Leo Oneal, 54 Viruses, Unny Gorey, DaAmazingMeepers, Puldoh, pranger, Memna, Kirai-Ninja, Lady Katana4544, and chihine. Everyone, give a round of applause for Leo Oneal, who has given me the best ideas for continuing the story, and ChibiLover13, who had been reviewing like… Mikey reads comics! ChibiLover13 doesn't miss a chapter!**

**Alright, now on with the show…**

"Fisae," Beth whispered, nudging her love. Leo opened his eyes and gazed at her worriedly.

"Yes, Eiladar?" he asked quietly, sitting up and bringing her with him. She cuddled into his side, rubbing her head gently against his strong shoulder.

"I'm… scared," she confided.

"We all are. We never knew this was going to happen. I should have planned it, Beth. I'm sorry."

"It's not your fault," she imposed immediately. "You just have bad luck."

"As Raph would say, "It's turtle-luck running true t' form"," Leo laughed gently, stroking her hair. "Now, why don't we go get some breakfast? Mikey's up by now, and so should your parents be."

"I'll go get Lincoln," she offered, standing up with a slight sigh.

"No, let him sleep him. He's probably tired," Leo reasoned. Beth shrugged and gathered up a new change of clothes from her suitcases. She wandered out towards the bathroom while Leo went the other way and knocked on Raph's door.

"What?" a muffled groan answered.

"It's time to train, Raph," Leo called. "We can't be going soft, now can we?"

"Keep your shell on, Fearless. I'll be out when I've slept for a good amount of time. What ungodly hour is it?"

"It's seven A.M., Raph. Get up, lazy!" Leo laughed.

"I'm going, I'm going." Raph's door opened to let out the drowsy hothead who headed for the showers.

"Beth's in there," Leo warned, walking over towards Don's room and knocking gently. "Donnie? Ya up?"

"Yeah," a muffled groan answered. Leo chuckled. Don and Raph were some of the latest risers he knew. If given a choice, they'd sleep in all day and work at night. Don joined Leo in the hall and headed for the bathrooms. Beth rejoined Leo and the two wandered into the kitchen to find Mikey babbling anecdotes about the family to the Jacksons, omitting certain characters like Splinter and April and Casey.

"Good morning," Leo greeted happily, helping himself to a protein shake and offering it to anyone. Mikey made a face and shook his head, and the Jackson parents declined. Beth offered to try it, much to Leo's delight. He loved the chocolate drink, but no one else did.

He made some for her – half a serving – and then stood behind her sipping his own. "Mikey, we're training this morning. Mr. Jackson, Mrs. Jackson, do I have your permission to teach you son and daughter a few techniques in case of an emergency?" Leo asked formally.

"Sure, Leo," Mr. Jackson agreed. "Beth's been dying to learn. But what about Lincoln? I mean… You know."

Leo nodded and thought for a moment. "We can teach him some moves that will disarm someone, even from a sitting position. Mikey could teach him that," Leo teased the youngest brother.

The orange-banded turtle just stuck his tongue out at Leo and served the ham and cheese omelet to the Jacksons and himself. He made another quickly when Raph and Donnie appeared.

"Training?" Mikey whined as he sat down next to Beth. Leo was still standing behind her, his wings held comfortably over his shoulders and clasped in front like Raph's. "Why do we have to train today? I'm tired."

"We need to be in top shape if we're going to survive," Leo reprimanded, setting a pile of dirty plates from last night's hasty dinner in the sink and beginning to wash them. "And besides, we haven't trained in a while. You've probably forgotten the most recent katas."

"Nuh uh!" Mikey protested. He thought for a moment and frowned happily. "Okay, maybe." He shrugged.

"Mr. and Mrs. Jackson, you are welcome to watch your son and daughter's lessons," Leo offered. "And, if you care to, you may all watch our practice."

Beth smiled. She'd always wanted to see the turtles practice, but was shy to ask and unsure if it was forbidden or not. So she grinned happily and stood up, finished. Leo grabbed her plate and glass with his tail, bringing them to his hands at the sink. He grinned at her.

"Handy thing, eh?" Raph snickered. Leo winked and gathered the rest of the dishes. Mikey grabbed the end of his tail and put his arm up in an arm-wrestling position, the end clasped in his hand.

"Strongest gets to lead the practice?" he asked, though he knew he would lose.

"Sure," Leo smiled, yanking his tail out of Mikey's grip and putting his arm up against his, clasping hands tightly. Raph and Don stood up on either side, ready to say if it was legal.

"Go!" Don ordered. Leo held still as Mikey pushed against him, making a noise that sounded like a strangled scream as he strained. Raph rushed up and added to Mikey's strength, putting his hand over them both and trying to push Leo's down. The larger turtle grinned and twitched his hand, flinging Raph back slightly and pounding Mikey's hand into the table.

"Hey, no fair!" Mikey cried immediately.

"You're the one who cheated, you big baby," Leo smiled. "I win anyway. Let's go, you three. Mr. and Mrs. Jackson, you are welcome to watch, as I said. Beth, you too. And Lincoln, if he's ready to awaken."

"I'll get him," Mrs. Jackson offered, standing up and walking elegantly out of the room. Leo offered his arm to Beth, who giggled and took it. He led them all to the dojo and brought out four seats for the family.

"Let's stretch and warm up first," Leo ordered, turning to his brothers. He faced them and began stretching slowly, making sure every muscle was well warmed up and supple. By the time Lincoln and Mrs. Jackson joined them, Leo was confident that they were ready to do a few katas.

"Let's get our weapons out later, Raph," he scolded gently. "For now, we'll go weaponless."

"Fine, Fearless. Let's get moving," Raph growled.

"Falling Rain Kata," Leo ordered, turning his shell on his brothers and beginning with a standard defense position. All four moved quite beautifully through the movements, keeping rhythm and in sync with one another.

Beth felt her heart flutter as she watched the muscles ripple under Leo's scales as he swung around to block an make-believe punch. His wings kept tight to his shell and his tail added itself as a counter balance which he swung mercilessly. He and his brothers ended, breathing easily, and bowed to their imaginary opponent.

Leo called out another, this one looking a little more difficult. They went on, Beth's eyes glued to Leo as the black turtle moved easily through the katas. Mikey and Don stumbled on one and Raph stumbled on the one after that, but Leo worked flawlessly, at least to Beth's eyes.

Finally, they came to the last. Leo smiled and faced his brothers for this one. They bowed to each other and Raph came around to his side, facing off with Donnie.

Right hands met right hands, palms away from each other and the backs of their hands resting lightly against each other's. Then they slowly began to circle each other.

This kata was more of a dance than anything as the partners spun and flipped around each other like water. Beth watched, amazed, as Leo spun around and Mikey moved in, grasping his hands and flinging them both down at the same time as Don did the same to Raph.

Leo caught himself on his hands, in a push-up position over Mikey, who grinned and nodded. Leo pushed himself to his feet and offered his brother a hand up with a smile. Raph and Donnie bowed to each other and joined their brothers in the middle of the floor, all four bowing to each other.

"That was amazing," Beth exclaimed quietly. Leo turned to her and grinned, walking over to the weapons and taking up his katanas.

"Raph, pick you opponent," he ordered, throwing two Sai at his brother who caught them deftly. Leo also threw Mikey his nunchucks and Don his Bo.

"Don," Raph picked, hurtling his Sai at the purple-banded turtle who caught both with a twirl of his Bo.

"I accept," Don grinned, tossing Raph's Sai back. Leo faced Mikey and they prepared to spar.


	42. Usagi, meet the Jacksons

Leo grinned as he faced Mikey, katanas at the ready

Leo grinned as he faced Mikey, katanas at the ready. Mikey's nunchucks swung quickly, perfectly blanced.

Without warning, both Raph and Leo attacked their brothers, driving their sharper weapons ruthlessly. Though they all knew not one drop of blood would be shed in the cold calculation of real battle, Mikey yelped and batted the blades away, driving his wooden weapons forward and aiming for a head hit to hopefully knock Leo out early in the game.

But Leo's horns caught on the nunchucks and he reared back, yanking them out of his brother's weaker grip.

Smiling, Leo placed his katanas in a scissor over Mikey's neck, who stood stock still, still in shock over the loss of his weapons.

Donnie and Raph took a little longer, but soon the purple-banded turtle was on the ground, a Sai pointed at his throat. Raph growled happily and stood back, helping his younger brother to his feet.

Both bowed to each other and the foursome started cooling down, led by Leo again. Beth waited eagerly to start her own lessons. When Leo finally put his katanas away, signaling an end to practice, and came over to her, she jumped up and hugged him tightly.

"You're amazing," she breathed, giggling slightly as he picked her up so she wasn't hanging off her neck.

"Thanks," he laughed, giving her a short kiss. "And now it's time for you and Lincoln to start your lessons. Don, Mikey, can you work with Lincoln? Raph, you and I will teach Beth."

"Okay," Raph agreed. "You sure you don't want a private dojo?" he teased when Beth kissed Leo again. Without a flinch, Leo bent over Beth and kissed her soundly.

"EEEWWWW!" both Mikey and Lincoln groaned. "GRRR-OOOSSSSS!" Mikey added, pretending to gag.

Leo smiled as he pulled Beth back up, leading her into the side of the dojo away from Mikey, Don, and their young charge. Raph joined him, and they started the training.

Leo felt thrilled as he manipulated Beth's arms into the right positions, following Raph. He stood right behind her, his hands gently guiding her arms. His tail reminded her to keep up her footwork.

About an hour later, the two humans were exhausted and the turtles were tired.

"Lunch!" Mikey called, racing out of the room. Leo chuckled and followed with Don and Raph, ushering the humans out in front of them. Mikey was heating up more pizza, to Lincoln's delight.

"Oh, man, I love pizza!" Lincoln assured the youngest turtle when he asked if pizza was okay with everyone.

"Well, Mr. and Mrs. Jackson, do you still agree with our training your children? Er, young adults?" he added when Beth scowled at him.

"I am fine with it, Leo. And please, do call me "Dad". "Mr. Jackson" is too long for everyday life. Your brothers can call me by my first name, John."

"Okay," Leo nodded, blushing as his brothers snickered. "Dad." The word was foreign in his mouth, but he supposed he'd get used to it eventually. _After all, Splinter is "Dad" to us, but I guess we have a right to call him just "Splinter" because he is not really our dad. Heck, he's not even our species… Of course, no one is my species any more._

That was a sobering thought. At least Don and Mikey still had each other. He and Raph were one of two kinds.

Leo snickered as he thought about what Raph might do if faced with the chance to become a husband. _Probably act all tough, like it's something "manly"._

"And I, Mom," Mrs. Jackson added, putting her hand on Leo's shoulder. "We're happy to have you in our family, and family doesn't go around calling each other "Mr." and "Mrs."," she added sensibly.

Mikey smiled at Don, mouthing, "Or "Master"," and laughing quietly.

Don grinned with Raph, all three watching as Leo explained what Beth would be learning. Then he turned to Mikey and, with an eye ridge raised, asked, "And, Mikey, tell them what Lincoln will be learning."

"Oh!" Mikey blinked, stalling for a moment. "Right! Um, yeah. Yeah, Lincoln's gonna learn self defense. You know, screaming really, really loudly?" He grinned sheepishly at Leo, who sighed and rolled his eyes.

"He'll be learning what we learned," Don interjected. "We've all learned how to fight from the ground. It's kind of necessary, sometimes. He'll learn how he can use the advantage of being shorter. When he's learned some stuff, I'm hoping Leo can help me in a demonstration of a small, shorter turtle – or human – going up against a bigger and taller one."

"No kidding," Raph growled under his breath as Leo drew himself up proudly and in jest. He stood seven and a half feet tall, so he really was a lot taller than Don, who was about five foot three. Raph was a half-inch taller, and Mikey a full inch shorter.

"There's some advantages to being shorter," Leo said. "You don't bang your head on every door you pass through, for one," he snorted. "But truthfully, you can sneak under a larger person's guard. Larger people also tend to be clumsy and have slow movements."

"Too bad that isn't true with you," Mikey groaned, rubbing his wrist. "Geez."

"Mikey, we've talked about this," Leo sighed. "A ninja is_ always _prepared."

"Right." Mikey grinned and turned to Lincoln. "So, wanna go play some games?" With an enthusiastic nod, Lincoln wheeled his wheel chair around, zooming towards the gaming room. Mikey followed with a farewell.

Don smiled and gathered the dirty dishes, taking them to the sink. He and Raph, without complaint for once, began washing them. Leo took his parent in-laws on a more thorough tour, showing off the various security systems that Don had installed. He was really proud of them, too, knowing that they would keep them all safe.

When they got back to the living room, Mikey and Lincoln were still fighting in a computer game, Don was working in his lab, and Raph was watching TV on the big screen.

"Raph, can you help me a moment?" Leo asked, walking to the bridge. His brother followed without a complaint. _Two miracles,_ Leo chuckled to himself. _Being in charge must have done something. I should let him lead for a while more often._

"Mom, Dad, if you would, please go ahead and sit down. We're going to try to call our friend, Usagi," Leo explained. Raph smiled. He really liked hanging out with Gen, Usagi's best friend.

He drew the symbols. That was what he was best at, after all. Leo stood behind him and put his hands together. When Raph drew away, Leo began the mumbling chant. Raph let him do that; Raph always messed up when pronouncing the hardly-heard "words".

The symbols glowed and suddenly the gate opened. Usagi stepped out, sword drawn. He was obviously startled by the two "turtles" facing him. He did not lower his sword.

"Usagi-san, it is good to see you," Leo said, stepping forward and putting out his hand. Usagi smiled and sheathed his sword.

"As always, young _kame_, you astound me," Usagi greeted, clasping Leo's forearm. "You have grown."

"Indeed, and grown wings, scales, horns, and a tail," Leo chortled. "Is Gen with you?"

"Indeed, Gen is. I made him stay behind. We did not know who had summoned the portal. Let me call him, and then we will get to the matter of our summons." He disappeared again and came out soon, followed by a bipedal rhino who smiled. His eyes, seemingly shut, gazed around.

"So, ya got a new place, huh?" he snorted, chewing on a piece of grass.

"Yep," Raph smiled. "Come on, I'm sure you're hungry."

"As always," the rhino laughed. The two friends trooped off, Gen talking to Raph about his wings, and his brother's transformation.

"Usagi, care to meet our newest members of the family?" Leo asked. Usagi stared at him and nodded.

"Yes, but afterwards, I would like to speak with you alone. I sense that much has happened. Where is Master Splinter-sama?" the rabbit-like samurai asked.

"All in good time, my friend. First, I invite you to meet Mr. and Mrs. Jackson," he said, turning to the living room couch. There, his two in-laws were watching him with startled gazes.

"Humans?" Usagi asked. He bowed. "Forgive me, Mr. and Mrs. Jackson. In this world, my meetings with humans are… sadly lacking. I am Usagi Yojimbo, samurai and ronin."

"It's alright," Mr. Jackson smiled. "I apologize for asking, but what _is_ a ronin? And what are you?"

"I am a ronin, which is a wandering warrior. I am hired for almost anything. Guarding caravans, princes, lords, and mechant's daughters are among my highest priorities. I have been trained as an honorable warrior. _What_ I am is more difficult. I am samurai, which in my world says it all because no two beings look alike. In this world, I would be called a "rabbit mutant", I believe," Usagi explained.

"You aren't… Ninja?" Mrs. Jackson asked, looking at his swords.

"No, I am more honorable than that," he said teasingly, nudging Leo. "In truth, the ninja of my world are very dishonorable. I had come to believe all in every multiverse were such, but when I met Leonardo and his brothers, I realized that ninja trickery and treachery has its place."

"Hardy har har," Leo muttered. "He is really good, though. Master Ninja, as we would say if he was ninja."

"Leonardo told me you were members of the family. How, if that is not to bold to ask?" Usagi queried, kneeling on the floor and staring intently at Mr. and Mrs. Jackson. Beth was no where in sight. Lincoln and Mikey were watching, Lincoln fidgeting. "And who is this?" he asked, gazing at Lincoln.

"I'm Lincoln Jackson," he said.

"It is good to meet you, Mr. Jackson," Usagi said formally, bowing to the handicapped kid. "I am Usagi Yojimbo, ronin and samurai."

"Hi!" Mikey greeted enthusiastically. Usagi laughed and bowed to him as well, which made Mike swell up with pride. Then the ronin turned back to the Jacksons, listening intently with his tall ears quivering.


	43. Lover's Quarrel

"We are part of Leo's family because of our daughter, Beth," Mr

"We are part of Leo's family because of our daughter, Beth," Mr. Jackson said. "But that's Leo's story to tell."

Usagi turned to Leo, who made a "wait here" sign and ran off to find his friend. Usagi chuckled. With how adult Leo acted, there were instances when one could see that he was little more than a young man.

When he returned, a human female in tow, Usagi smiled. He had noticed the ring on Leo's finger, and he could put two and two together.

"Well, Usagi, this is Beth Jackson. She's soon to be Hamato Beth, though," he explained with a smile.

"Indeed, wondrous news!" Usagi cried, bowing to Beth and clasping her hand tightly. "Good luck to you both, young ones. May the Spirits watch over you, and may you live together in harmony and peace." It was the customary congratulations speech in his world, but the snickers that met his words made him wonder if he had embarrassed them.

"Ah, sorry," he hastily amended. "I do not know the customs of this land. Tell me, is this an instance to say the phrase Mikey-san taught me? "Right on", was it?"

Leo broke down, laughing so hard his wings trembled and snapped opened, clipped Mikey accidentally. They also knocked into Don, who came out of his lab to see the commotion.

"Welcome, Usagi," he greeted coolly, glaring at his laughing brother. "I'm sorry. Yes, this would be a good time to say that. But, perhaps, with a little more enthusiasm."

"Right on?" Usagi said, rolling the words around. He then shook his head. "No matter, no matter. You know I wish you well. Indeed, Leonardo, I never thought of you as a romantic."

"You should see them play act," Raph called, walking in with Gen. "John, Mary, this is Gen, Usagi's friend. He's samurai, too, a guard of Lord Noriyuki, the panda lord."

"Hello," the rhino grunted. "So, Leo, you're getting' married?"

"Yes, Gen," the winged turtle smiled.

"Good. Maybe she'll pound some sense into your thick skull," he grunted. "Well, hate to leave you all without the perfect rhino, but Lord Noriyuki's expecting me. He's got an important appointment."

"See ya, Gen," the all called. The rhino snorted with amusement and built his portal with the help of Raph. Then he was gone in a flash of light and Leo sighed.

"Don't get me wrong, he's a great guy, but…" Leo shook his head. "Beth, could you find something to do? Usagi and I would like to speak to each other."

"Sure thing, Fisae," she said, kissing his lightly and then running over to Mikey and Lincoln, challenging them to a race with the car racing game Lincoln had packed. Raph showed John and Mary how to use the remote and then headed for his room to catch up on some sleep probably.

Usagi and Leo walked into the winged turtle's room, sitting on the bed next to each other.

"I know much has come to pass, Leonardo," Usagi started, looking at Leo's wings. "And I can tell it is both physical, spiritual, and mental. Physically, you have changed quite a lot. You have grown into wings that would seem much too large for you to control, but can obviously use them well. You have gained the use of a tail and horns. You have natural armor.

"But these pale in comparison to the mental and spiritual changes I sense. You are different, more lively now, I see. I do not know if this is the result of your choosing of a mate or if something deeper has happened. You have bonded, I can tell, with Michelangelo. You regard each other as the best of friends and brothers now."

"Yes, what you say is true. And I did change, spiritually. I gave up my soul to the Ninja God when I was young, and just now got it back. Beth has helped, but that is most of the change's origin. Master Splinter is back in our hide out, just in case you were wondering."

"I was, indeed. Thank you. I had feared the worst. Now, tell me what has happened in my absence," Usagi ordered.

As Leo wove the tale, Usagi listened, awestruck and disgusted at different parts of the story. He smiled when he heard of Emily, laughed when Leo described the purple goo incidents.

"That is a tale worth a thousand pictures," Usagi said when Leo finished with a sigh.

"Yeah," Leo agreed. Looking back had woken him up to how lucky he and his brothers truly were. Sure, they weren't rich, good-looking (to the humans), or even human, but they were so tightly knit now that no one could tear them away from each other. Leo and Mikey's bond was stronger than Leo and Don's, sure, but they were all Kalian and Kavara. Raph was Leo's half-Kalian, just as Leo was Raph's. They looked out for each other. Same with Don and Mikey.

"Your life is a picture worth a million and one words," Usagi claimed, overwhelmed. "I will meditate on this. May I stay here, for a while?"

"Certainly. I'll show you to the room you can have. We've got plenty of room."

He showed Usagi to the extra storage room, where Mikey stored his comics. They cleared a spot and put down a mattress and a meditation pad from Leo's spares.

"We'll be turning in soon," Leo said. "Would you like to join us for dinner?" He could hear the pots in the kitchen banging, saying that Mikey was getting ready to cook.

"I would, Leonardo. Thank you for your hospitality."

"It is nothing, Usagi," Leo smiled. He walked out then, letting the ronin get comfortable.

At dinner, Leo stood up and offered his seat to Usagi, who protested. But when Leo showed that he could practically sleep standing, Usagi accepted gratefully. Usagi asked about their welfare, though he knew they were less than perfect, and then began learning about Beth's family. He concentrated on their work, since he had almost never spoken to people who worked as things other than trained killers, guards, and/or were Lords and servants of those Lords.

"So, you say you work in a hospital, correct?" Usagi asked, sounding the foreign word out carefully. "What do you do?"

"My job is mostly arranging the meetings in the meeting rooms, keeping records, that kind of thing. I learn a lot, but I'm mostly a secretary."

"Indeed. Most fascinating. In my world, we do not keep records. If someone is injured, they go to a Healer and are made well by herbs and spiritual guidance. I understand this family knows much of spiritual guidance." Usagi glared at Leo for a moment, but the large winged turtle just smiled and put his dish in the sink. He then gathered the others, since everyone was done, and started washing them.

Beth joined him, drying the sparkling dishes. The others retired to the living room, where Mikey and Lincoln showed Usagi how to play a video game and the humans and Raph watched with barely-concealed guffaws. Don was busy trying to explain to Usagi that he did not need to pull his real sword to combat the person on the screen, but had to use the controllers.

A shriek erupted from the kitchen. Everyone spun around to find a wet, soaking Leo running for his life. Beth followed quickly, and she was covered in flour. It was apparent that something had gone wrong.

Leo looked back, a smile on his face, and spread his wings with a snap. Usagi's mouth dropped open with an undignified gasp as Leo pumped them once and shot towards the ceiling. He flipped and landed on the ceiling in a crouch. Crunches were heard as his wing claws grabbed the rough material.

"Coward!" Beth yelled at him, shaking a fist. Her running had left a trail of flour that was wet in some places from Leo's dripping body. Leo stood up, his wings still firmly attached, and looked down at her with a grin.

"Why, Beth, you're all floured," he teased in a mock-serious voice. "You really should learn how to control yourself in the kitchen, my dear." Leo sighed and shook his head. The rest of the family and Usagi were trying to keep laughs from spoiling the moment.

"You threw _flour_ on me, Fisae!"

"Yeah, duh," Leo snorted. "But I distinctly remember _you_ throwing a bucket of water at me!"

"Where'd she get the bucket?" Mikey whispered. Beth re-entered the kitchen muttering and grumbling. Leo smiled and let his wing claws release themselves, falling towards the floor again. His wings opened half-way and he slowed enough to land without cracking something, probably the cement.

"Leonardo, you have gained the use of the wings in full stride, I see," Usagi said dryly.

"They can help when I'm on the run from vengeful people," he shrugged. "Or when running from naughty fiancés!" he shouted at the kitchen.

Beth appeared and coolly walked up to Leo, who was smiling at her.

That was before he was covered in green goop. Beth stepped back as Leo gasped through it, laughing very hard.

"Payback!" she claimed as Leo growled and turned on her with a smirk on his face. "Hey- No fair!" she squealed as he opened his wings and enveloped her in them. When they drew back, she was covered in the green goo, too, and Leo was that much cleaner.

"You should know better than to stay in the vicinity when you prank Leo," Don told Beth, who was muttering curses under her breath. She snorted with contempt and wiped some of the goo off gingerly.

"I'm going to grab a shower!" she huffed, running towards the bathroom.


	44. Invitations, Part 1

Leo opened his wing with disgust and inspected them carefully

Leo opened his wing with disgust and inspected them carefully. "Ugh. Do you know how long it takes to clean these wings?" he shouted towards the bathroom.

"Do you know how long it takes to wash my hair?" Beth yelled back with a teasing voice.

"I'm gonna go dunk in the pool," Leo muttered to his family, taking a step. He shouted, though, as his feet slipped and he fell over backwards, like in the movies.

"Oooh," he groaned. The breath was knocked out of him and he sat there for a moment. Raph and Don came over and looked down at him with large smiles on their faces.

"Thanks," he said sarcastically. "What is this?" he asked himself, touching the goop. "And why did I fall?"

"Looks like very-slippery goo," Don stated, taking a handful and rubbing his fingers in it. "Yep. Very little friction. I would recommend taking it carefully until you have this off."

"How'd she run?" Leo heaved himself to his feet carefully, his wings open a little to help him balance. His tail swung gently.

"You didn't get her feet," Raph snickered, walking away. Leo took a slow step forward and felt his feet slide again.

"Great. I'm not going anywhere without another knock-down episode," he muttered, spreading his wings. He didn't dare push off, so he merely flapped and rose steadily. He then flew towards the pool, arced up and hovered above it.

"Mikey, you might want to cover your game systems," Don shouted as he saw the evil intent in Leo's eyes.

"Noooo!" Mikey cried as Leo folded his wings and rolled into a ball. Mikey picked up the rug desperately, holding it up over the gaming system and the TVs he could manage to cover.

Leo fell in slow motion, but when he hit, the wall of water that rose swamped through the entire living room before draining back into the pool with Leo. The TVs were okay, and so was the system, but everyone was soaked.

Leonardo didn't resurface for a while, and Usagi started getting worried after a minute. He wandered over to the bridge and stood on it, wringing his fur out and then shaking himself dry. He looked down to see Leo underwater, scrubbing at his wings with his mask. Leonardo looked like he was breathing.

_Well, if he's got wings, horns, scales, and a tail, why not gills?_ Usagi thought to himself, walking back towards the others. Beth came out then, clothed in a new shirt and pants. She got the mop and started cleaning up the place where Leo had stood when he was "gunked".

When Leo emerged, Beth made his mop up all the water still in the living room from his dive. He smiled sheepishly but did as he was told. Beth joined her parents and they all watched as Usagi tried to battle in the cyber world.

"Ah, that is harder than I thought," Usagi sighed when the screen turned red and the words, "GAME OVER" came onto the screen. "Indeed, it is hard to remember what the buttons do and mean. Do you do this regularly?"

"Shell yeah, dude," Mikey said enthusiastically. "It's good for the soul."

"Really?" Usagi asked, falling for the bait.

"No," Raph corrected, slapping his little brother playfully. "Mikey just thinks it is."

"By the way, Raphael, I would like to ask you something," Usagi mentioned as he gave the controller back to Mikey. Soon the orange-banded turtle was jumping up and down, left and right, to avoid the attacks coming from the other player. His character attacked wildly, like Mikey.

"Go ahead," Raph said to Usagi.

"Can you fly?" Usagi asked, peering at Raph's smaller wings.

"Yeah, I can. Before you ask, I was bitten by a vampire and got bat wings, thinner and smaller than Leo's dragon wings. I can climb walls but I don't have scales, horns, or a tail."

"I seem to recall that this world believes that vampires drink blood. Do you?" Usagi asked. Raph looked away for a moment and Usagi added hastily, "I mean no offense. I should not pry into things that are not my business."

"No, it's okay. We don't really know. I've been around plenty but haven't lost myself to the vampire inside me, yet. When we were invaded – I assume Leo told you? – it hit hard, but I've learned how to control it. Worst scenario case, I do lose myself and need blood, Don's got plenty of blood samples from all of us. But I intend to fight it as long as I can. It's getting easier."

"Hm," Usagi grunted to show he was listening. Raph turned his gaze back to the screen and Usagi stood up, walking over to Leo who was putting the mop away after rinsing it and cleaning the floor.

"Tell me, do you plan to have a party about your accomplishments?" Usagi asked him. "Is that why you have called me here? I think it would be a very good idea. You all need a break."

"Yes, we were planning on it. Here, if possible. Mikey wants to cook, and we should really get together with our friends. April, Casey, Leatherhead, and Professor Honeycutt from this world. Angel, too. Gen, you, the Daimyo, maybe Lord Noriyuki and Tomoe Ame."

"Certainly. I would be glad to help you summon the portals. When would you like to do that?"

"As soon as possible. We don't know what's going to happen in the next few weeks. We could be accepted or killed as dangerous beasts. We could be discovered by a sympathetic group, or Bishop could find us. It's all in the deck, as we say."

"Deck?" Usagi frowned, trying to place the word.

"It means that anything and everything could happen," Leo explained. "Can we work on the portals now and get invitations out?"

"Yes, indeed. I need a break from the… game system," Usagi led. "I do not see how Michelangelo can use that constantly. The opponents do not use proper handling of their weapons and, in real life, would cut themselves more often than not."

"Uh huh, I've never understood him," Leo chortled, moving to his room. "We'll use my room for now, if that's okay?"

"It will be. Do you have chalk?"

"In here." Leo opened the door to his room and ushered Usagi in jovially.

"Ah, I see," Usagi sniggered when Leo closed the door and pushed aside a small bookcase to leave a large wall bare. Then he tossed the chalk to Usagi and stood back, grinning sheepishly.

"I don't know how to do the symbols, at least not these ones. I only know your's, and those barely. I'm the "mumbler" as Mikey puts it," the winged turtle admitted.

"That's okay. You can "mumble" all you want as long as you get the words right," Raph said from the doorway on his way to his room, having opened the door to Leo's room. "Beth's asked where you are, by the way."

"Can you tell her I'm calling some friends?" Leo asked Raph politely. The hothead nodded and disappeared into his room for a moment. He came back out with a magazine.

"Alright, Leonardo, we are ready." Usagi stepped back and Leo closed the door again. Leo folded his hands and faced the portal, beginning the chant.

It swirled and opened, and Usagi gestured for Leo to follow him. They walked through in a flash of light, Leo's wings tingling slightly.

"Which one is this?" Leo asked, looking around. They were in a city, but it was mostly empty. A few beings strolled along the streets lazily.

"This is the Battle Nexus dimension," Usagi explained, looking around. "Let's see if the Daimyo can see us, eh?"

They walked up the streets towards the large arena and palace where the Daimyo lived. Once there, guards showed them to the throne room, where the Daimyo was holding an open court.

He was presiding over a small matter that was soon resolved and motioned for Usagi and Leonardo to come forward. He stood and greeted them happily, coming down from his dais and shaking their hands. Leonardo and Usagi bowed deeply, too.

"Now, what brings you to my world?" the Daimyo asked joyfully, gesturing for them to sit. He ascended to his throne and sat down as Leo spoke.

"Well, big news from our world. We invite you to come to a party," Leo said formally. "We have been discovered by the humans and were held prisoner, but we all escaped. Also, I have chosen a mate, as Usagi says. We are getting married, and that is cause enough for celebration."

"Ah, well." The Daimyo smiled at Leo and winked. "A mate is the best thing for anyone who needs company. I should like to come. When and where?"

"Our dimension, in our new lair. You can home in on my signal, if you wish. And it will be three days from now. Three Earth days, that is," Leo hastily added. "Can you tell that kind of time here?"

"Yes, for Third Earth and Battle Nexus days are quite similar. They differ by a few minutes. Very well, I shall see you in three days. And, Leonardo, may I inquire as to what happened to you? Last time we met, you were… Greener."

Leo grinned and fanned his wings gently. The Daimyo's eyes widened at the size. "I was changed, Daimyo, by a mental being that took the form of a black dragon. I inherited some of the attributes when Master Splinter purged it from me, because it was an evil presence. I have also become larger to compensate for my huge wings."

"Indeed. Well, I'll inquire further at the party, if that is acceptable. I would not like to keep you waiting, for I sense you have many more trips to make. My blessings upon you."

"Then we are sure to travel safely," Usagi thanked the Daimyo. "Good fortune to you."

"Fare thee well," Leo added with a smirk as they bowed their way out again. The Daimyo chuckled and turned to the next set of business.

"Where now, Leonardo?" Usagi asked once they were in the city again. Leo looked around and then pointed to a blank wall.

"Can we use that and go to Lord Noriyuki?" he asked. "Gen and Tomoe Ame should be there with him, and we can invite three at once."

"Indeed. Let us make haste; dark is falling on this world, and I do not wish to call on the Lord Noriyuki after the time appointed for his resting period," Usagi explained.

"Then by all means, let us hurry along our way," Leo smiled, handing a piece of chalk to Usagi. "If you would do the honors?"

"If you would sing the chant, O Mumbler," Usagi laughed, drawing the symbols.

"Hardy har har," Leo snickered. As soon as Usagi was done and stepped back, Leo began the chant for Lord Noriyuki's palace and the familiar light appeared. They stepped through the glow and into the Lord's waiting chamber. They were greeted civilly and told that Lord Noriyuki would see them shortly.


	45. Things to Do, Stuff to Know

"Ah, welcome, Ninja Master Hamato Leonardo, Samurai Ronin Usagi Yojimbo," Lord Noriyuki greeted, sounding much older than he truly was. "I hope you journey was pleasant."

"It was, Lord Noriyuki, and we thank you for taking time to see us on such short notice," Usagi said, bowing low to the young panda.

"Indeed," Leo added, bowing as well. "If I may be so bold, my lord, I have come with Usagi's help to invite you, your guard Gennosuke, and Tomoe Ame to a party in my world."

"It sounds like fun," the panda lord said, dropping the boring face and smiling brightly. "Why, if I may ask?"

"Leonardo has chosen a mate," Usagi explained. Leo blushed as Lord Noriyuki chuckled. "And they have agreed to "marry"."

"Well, congratulations. If you will tell my secretary-" Lord Noriyuki made a face- "she will get it on the schedule. Thank you for inviting me."

"We knew you'd want to come," Leo smiled. "Well, see you there."

"Fare you both well," Lord Noriyuki called as he and Usagi bowed and walked out quickly.

They were shown to the secretary and told her the time and date, and she assured them that the days in this dimension were based off of the Battle Nexus because the previous lord had entered the competition many times and did not wish to be on a different schedule.

Then Usagi drew the symbols for Leo's home and they appeared back in Leo's bedroom. Beth was asleep, curled up on the bed in a position that said she had been waiting for Leo. Usagi grinned at the turtle and walked out to his own room.

Leonardo lay down next to Beth, who unconsciously scooted closer and wrapped a thin arm around his. He sighed, stroking her long, soft hair.

_It's good to have a love,_ Leo thought to himself as he began to drift off slowly. _Tomorrow, I'll take Mikey and we'll go invite April, Casey, Angel, Leatherhead, and Professor Honeycutt._

Leo fell asleep with a smile on his face, putting a gentle arm around his love.

_The next morning…_

Leo yawned and sat up, stretching his arms and wings. He looked down at Beth, who was just opening her blue eyes.

"Morning," he said softly. She yawned in response and he leaned down, kissing her gently. "Well, I got invitations to our other-world friends. They're all coming. Mikey and I will invite Angel, Casey, April, Leatherhead, and Prof. Honeycutt today."

"Alright. I'm gonna go back to sleep. I'm still kinda tired." She snuggled back down and smiled as Leo stood up carefully and padded softly out of the room. He met Usagi, Raph, and Mikey at the kitchen table. Beth's parents, Lincoln, and Mikey were in the living room, having already had dinner.

"So, Leo, did they say yes?" Don asked, handing a cup of tea to their leader. Leo took a sip and savored it before answering.

"Yes. Lord Noriyuki said he will bring Tomoe Ame and Gen. The Daimyo is coming, too, and his servant. I'm gonna ask Mikey if he wants to come with me to invite April, Casey, and Angel tonight. Don, wanna come to Leatherhead's place with me?"

"Surely," Don beamed. He looked guiltily at Raph, though. "Um, do you want to come, too?"

"Nah, you two have fun," Raph snorted with good humor. Don smiled again. "Just be sure not to be seen."

"Geez, Raph, you're startin' to sound like Leo," Mikey teased, walking in with a grin on his face. "Beth's up, Leo. She ran to the bathroom."

"Hm." Leo walked out, his face worried.

Raph turned to Don and grinned. "So, what should we all do to wish them luck?" he asked evilly.

"Well, we could fix up another lair, just for them. You know, a smaller one close by, so they'd have some privacy but would still be part of the family?" Mikey suggested cheerily.

"Maybe later, Mikey," Don disagreed, shaking his head. "Leo wants to stay close to us these next few weeks. We could give them the new wing, though. You know, the one with my secondary lab, Raph's weight room, and your comic book dump?"

"It's not a _dump_, Don," Mikey whined.

Just then, Lincoln rolled in and grabbed Mikey's hand. "Mom and Dad say I can play _Halo_ with you. Can I? Please?"

"Sure thing, kid," Mikey laughed, following the handicapped teenager out of the kitchen. Raph got up and headed for the bathroom, intent on a nice cool shower.

He opened the door without knocking. Two voices cried out in surprise and he snapped his eyes closed just in case. A hand grabbed his shoulder and spun him around, guiding him outside gently.

"Beth's in a hot bath," Leo told him. He opened his eyes as Leo shut the bathroom door. "She's not feeling too good. And remember, Raph, we share this bathroom now with the Jacksons. So please don't barge in again."

"Hey, at least we have two," Raph shrugged. "Sorry 'bout that, though. I'm so used to just us four and Splinter, but he's got his own bathroom."

"Lucky for us," Leo laughed, leading Raph back towards the living room. "Clogged drains are not what Don likes to wake up to in the morning."

"And with the thingy that Don put in, he never has to worry about them in Splinter's bathroom." Raph snickered and they rejoined Donnie, who was cleaning up some dirty dishes that had accumulated around the lair.

"Leo, could you sweep up the place a bit?" Don asked without turning. "It's getting kind of dusty in here. And _no_ wings," he added when the larger wing set rustled. "Lincoln's got allergies to dust."

"Oh, sorry. Yeah, sure. Raph, wanna help?"

"Eh, why not?"

The two brothers headed for the closet that held cleaning supplies. Leo got out the vacuum for the carpeted areas and Raph grabbed the dustpan and broom.

"I'll start in the back and work my way up," Leo stated. "You follow with the vacuum, and then we don't have to use the dustpan."

"Alright." They switched "weapons" and Leo put the dustpan back in the closet.

"Cleaning time!" Mikey shouted from nearby. He rushed past Raph and grabbed the window-washing fluid. "I call windows!"

"Mikey, we don't _have_ any windows," Leo sighed.

"Exactly, my good brother. Well, looks like I'm done!" he ran back into the living room before either brother could protest.

"I am _so_ making him clean the dojo," Raph muttered.

"I agree," Leo smirked. "But first, let's get the hallways and dining room done. Then we can do the rest after we tell Mikey that he has the worst job in the lair."

"Uh huh."

The two turtles set to cleaning, making it spotless from years of doing such under the guidance of their rat sensei. Leo swept under dressers in the rooms where there were some, and Raph vacuumed neatly.

When they were done with the back rooms, dining room, kitchen, and separate wing, Leo grinned widely and gestured towards the living room. Raph smiled and hefted the vacuum cleaner, putting it over his shoulder like one of Casey's bats.

"Hey, Kalian!" Leo called as they entered the living room.

"Yeah, Kavara?" Mikey asked, popping out of the kitchen.

"Your turn." Raph grinned evilly and set the vacuum cleaner down gently.

Mikey's face turned into a horror-struck mask as the young orange-banded turtle realized what they meant. "_Nooooo!_" he howled, falling to his knees with a dramatic effect that made the two eldest chuckle heartily. He glared at them. "You are _so_ not getting the news!"

"News?" Leo asked, stepping forward. "What news?"

"Nope, uh uh, not telling, my lips are sealed," Mikey scolded. "You have to clean the dojo if you want to find out."

"Raph, keep an eye on him. I'll go ask Donnie." Leo turned and walked away, tossing the broom to Mikey who caught it in disgust.

"You're evil, Leo!" the youngest's voice called after him. Leonardo chortled and headed for the bathroom, intent on seeing Beth and checking on her condition.

She wasn't in the bathroom, though, and he went to his room to find her. He found her lying on his bed, with Donnie standing next to the sleeping human with a thoughtful expression on his face.

"Hey, Don," Leo whispered, coming in quietly. Nonetheless, Beth woke up and smiled at him.

"Hey, Leo," they both said. Beth looked down and sat up more.

"So, what's up?" he asked, sitting carefully next to Beth and holding her hand.

"Um, Leo, can I talk to you for a moment?" Don asked, peering at his brother's fiancé. "Alone?"

"Sure, Don. Your lab?"

Without a word, Don led Leo away and the winged turtle followed with a sigh, glancing at Beth apologetically. She merely grinned again and lay down contentedly.

Don was palming his face when Leo got to the lab. The eldest shut the door quickly and indicated that he was listening. Donnie started pacing, buying time to organize his thoughts. Leo waited calmly, knowing that Don needed some time to think about what he was going to share.

"Leo… We may have a problem."


	46. The News is Out

"What

"What?" Leo asked suspiciously.

"You might want to sit down," Don suggested, facing his brother.

"Don, spill," Leo ordered, glaring at his smaller sibling. Don squirmed under the gaze and sat down himself on a rolling chair with a creak.

"Um… Alright, how to put this." Don thought for a moment before standing and grabbing Leo's hand comfortingly. "Leo… You're gonna be a father."

"What?!" Leo backed up a step and pulled his hand of out Don's grip accidentally. He was frozen in shock for a moment before he started chuckling.

"You're… You're not angry?" Don asked, bewildered.

"No, of course not. Why would I be angry that Beth's pregnant?" Leo asked, giving Don a look like _he_ was crazy.

"We have no idea what the baby will look like, how it will be birthed, when it will be birthed, or even if it will survive," Don stuttered, ticking off the points on his fingers and then starting over again on his other hand for lack of digits.

"Ah, Don, you worry too much. It's Beth. She'll be fine. And our… son/daughter will be fine, too. So, anything you can tell me about when?" Leo asked eagerly, his face beaming.

"Geez, Leo, I thought you didn't want kids," Don muttered.

"Not true. I didn't want to pressure Beth into them. I love kids."

"Well, you'll have your very own soon. I examined Beth – and I'm sorry, but I had to ask some questions that are kinda private – and she's in the fourth week, about. As far as I can tell, this pregnancy will be just like a human's. Nine months, live birth."

"Okay. Does everyone else know?"

"No. Mikey just knows that something's going on. Beth wanted me to tell you first. She really loves you, Leo," Don sighed. "You'd better not throw that away."

"I'm not planning to," Leo said softly. "And I love her, too."

"Well, go congratulate her and then we'll spill the news," Don said, forcing cheer into his voice.

"No, we'll spill at the party." Leo grinned evilly. "Until then, the rest are to be out of the know, Don. No hints or sneaky things like that. I want it to be a surprise to everyone."

"Um, okay." Don blinked and Leo was gone, probably impatient to see his wife. "Leo, you have no idea how lucky you are," he breathed.

"Who's lucky?" a voice asked from the doorway. Raph stepped in and glanced back, probably looking at Leo's fast-disappearing shell. "And what's up with Fearless?"

"Nothing," Don lied quickly. _I'm a terrible liar_, the purple-banded turtle thought as Raph's eyes lit up quite comically.

"Nothing, eh?" Raph grinned. "Well, then, there's _nothing_ to stop you from helping me in the dojo. Mikey cleaned it but you and I are signed up for polishing the weapons."

_Curses,_ Don thought to himself, but he followed Raphael to the dojo. Soft voices came from Leo's room, too soft to be made out in the time they were able to hear them as they walked by quickly.

Inside, Leo was talking eagerly to a beaming Beth. Both had a hand on her stomach, and Leo couldn't wait until he would be able to feel the kicking of the little one.

"So, boy name?" Leo asked, bending down and kissing Beth soundly. He could hardly contain himself; he wanted to go topside and in full view of everyone tell them that he was going to be a father.

"I wanna pick the girl's," Beth smiled, rubbing her hand on Leo's arm gently.

"Alright. What should that be?"

"Stephanie?" Beth suggested. "It'd be like mine, kinda. Beth, Steph. And Stephanie kinda rhymes with Leo. I've always liked the name."

"That's fine," Leo assured her. "I like "Stephanie", too. But we shall pick her middle name together, in Elvish."

"I think that would be cool," Beth agreed, nodding. "It would help her identify herself. But we wouldn't pick her middle name until we could see some sort of trait pop out. Or, if we don't see something fairly quickly, we can just call her Fis-something. For Blue's-Something."

"I think that's a wonderful idea. I hope it is a daughter," Leo wished, kissing Beth lightly again. "And if it is male… What do you think about Lionel? It means, "Lion Cub"."

"That would fit, seeing as your name means, "like a lion"," Beth laughed. "I like it. Alright, Stephanie or Lionel. We shall see." Beth yawned again and smiled tiredly.

"Go back to sleep, love," Leo whispered, brushed a gentle hand over her stomach. "You are to rest until our son/daughter is born. Your body is under a lot of strain."

"You sound like Don."

"Not really. He'd be spouting all kinds of stuff about inter-species mating and all that. Go to sleep, Beth. I'll fend everyone off until the party, and then we'll tell them all."

"Okay." Leo lay back down and Leo covered her gently. He brushed his lips over her hair and then quietly left, shutting the door softly. He was confronted by Raph outside his room.

"What's going on?" the hothead demanded. Raph didn't like the way Leo just smiled and walked away. It stank of a conspiracy, and Raph followed to make sure he wasn't being duped.

Mikey was whining at Leo from the leader's wing, and Lincoln was sitting with an amused smile on his face. Don was watching from the doorway to the kitchen.

"Alright, Leo, what's going on?" Raph asked, advancing threateningly. However, when his head didn't even reach to Leo's shoulder, the effect was lost. Leonardo merely chuckled and wrapped his wings around himself and Mikey.

"Nothing," the leader chuckled. Raph was having a hard time not pummeling his brother, but he knew it would be useless anyway.

"Nothing? Well, then, I'm sure you'd be happy to spar?" Raph suggested, grinning.

"You're going to bet something," Leo said, eyes narrowing at his brother.

"If I win, you have to tell all of us what's going on. If you win, we'll…"

"He'll be your slave for a day," Don called.

"Hey!" Raph frowned. He would almost certainly lose, but if he did win… It was a chance he was willing to take. "Fine. Deal?"

"Deal." Leo shook hands and then put Mikey down. "Weapons or hand-to-hand?"

"Weapons," Raph said immediately. "Wooden bokken, I think. I don't want to cut you up too bad."

"In your dreams, Raphie-boy," Leo chortled, running for the dojo as Raph growled at the nickname.

Don agreed to be the referee as Leo and Raph faced off, each armed with a single wooden training sword a lot like the katana. Raph knew he had the advantage in this weapon, but would it be enough?

They were fairly evenly matched as they began. Leo was blocking most of the hits and hardly attacking. Raph attacked, wanting to keep Leo moving and hopefully burning out the eldest's stamina before Raphael's was all used.

"Come on, Leo," Raph taunted. Leo was slow to block an attack and Raph's bokken thunked into his right shoulder, the one that was still a little sore from the bullet. Leo hissed slightly and his defense came down again, which allowed Raph another hit. Raphael didn't care that it wasn't exactly honorable to hit a warrior that was already injured.

"I yield," Leo said as the bokken tapped his neck. He stood up with a sigh, rolling his hurt shoulder. "You should be more careful, Raphael. Had that not healed already, you'd be in big trouble."

"Yeah, well… So, what's the big secret?" Raph demanded, holding his bokken like a bat over his shoulder. Leo held his out and down, like he would a katana.

The scaled turtle glanced at Don, who smiled encouragingly and gestured for him to tell. With a sigh, Leo rustled his wings a little in embarrassment and then breathed in to calm himself. When he looked at Raph again, Leo's eyes were alight with a spark Raph was gladdened to see.

"The truth is…" Leo paused dramatically. He leaned in close to Raph and whispered, just loud enough for Mikey to hear, "Beth's pregnant."

"What?!" Raph yelped, stepping back in shock and dropping his training sword. He looked to Don who nodded in confirmation. "But… How's that even possible? You're a turtle-dragon-thing. She's human."

"It happened," Don assured his brother and Mikey, who was staring at Leo aghast.

"So, we're all gonna be uncles?" Mikey asked. "Cool!"

"M hm." Leo nodded and smiled. "She's resting right now, so don't go busting in. I told her we'd spring the surprise at the party. Speaking of which, Mikey, you and I need to leave for April's place, then we'll swing by Casey's apartment and then find Angel somewhere. Don and I can go tell Leatherhead later."

"Alright, let's head topside!" Mikey screamed, running out to the hall where his coat was. Leo smirked and followed, tossing his bokken to Raph who put them both away, ignoring the normal rule that loser always cleaned up after a fight or spar.

"Let's go!" Mikey whined. Leo chuckled and opened the door to the sewers. Both ninja flashed and were gone, the door swinging shut behind them.

**A/N: Big news for TMNT-fans! New season in 2008 on TV, called "Overload", has been rejected! GASP! It was originally titled, "Superworld", but that, too, was rejected. For up-to-date stuff, check out Wikipedia and type in TMNT 2003. It's at the bottom of the page.**

**DO NOT DESPAIR! **

_On October 24th, Steve Murphy confirmed on his blog that Playmates, Mirage, and 4Kids had firmly agreed on the new direction, which will take place in the continuity of the 2003 series and use the "more realistic aspects" of the aborted "Overload" pitch, with character designs similar to that of the 2007 TMNT movie. _(Wikipedia TMNT 2003 excerpt)** … **_The Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles are back in New York, ready to race across the rooftops and take on all challengers! Not only are Casey and April back and ready to bust some bad guy butt, but a brand new, super advanced Turtle Lair is under construction (thanks to some hi-tech know-how Donatello garnered from the future), and, of course, there are all sorts of new heavy duty Turtle vehicles gearing up to roar down the streets of NYC and give the Foot a taste of some serious Turtle. The stakes have never been higher, their enemies have never been stronger... and if the Turtles are going to be triumphant they'll need to work together in ways they never have before. _(another excerpt)**… **_When the Turtles return from the future to their present time, Viral interferes causing Master Splinter to get trapped in cyberspace, bits of his data code scattered all throughout the digital domain. The Turtles must find a way to access the virtual realm so they can gather Splinter's code and save their beloved father before he is lost to them forever... _(and another one)

**THIS INFO DOES NOT BELONG TO ME. I RESEARCHED IT BECAUSE I WANTED TO KNOW WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH IT. **

**Also, the theme song will be #5, known as "Back to the Sewer". Go to Youtube and check out TMNT 2008- theme choices. My personal favorite was #2, but #5 won anyway. It's really known as "RVTheme2008" and the new season will be "TMNT Back to the Sewers" and begins in Fall 2008. HOW COOL IS THAT?**


	47. Evading the Questions

Raph grinned as he heard Beth running to the bathroom… again

Raph grinned as he heard Beth running to the bathroom… again. He felt sorry for the woman, but could not empathize. Leo and Mikey were expected to return any moment, and Leo would comfort her then. For now, Don was telling her his theories on what the child might look like. She was hardly hearing four sentences before running to the bathroom in a fit of early-morning sickness.

She now called it, "every-time-my-body-feels-like-it sickness" because of the way it hit without warning. It had been less than three hours since Leo had gone and she had worn herself out just by running back and forth from the bathroom to Leo's bedroom.

"We could move her to Master Splinter's room," Don had suggested to Raph as they heard Beth run towards the bathroom again. Both had been sitting at the table.

"How do we explain it to the parents?" Raph sneered teasingly. "Ah, why not? They'll figure it out eventually."

"Figure _what_ out?" Lincoln had asked from behind them.

"I think I hear Beth calling me." Don was up and out of there faster than Raph could blink. Lincoln looked expectantly at the red-banded turtle.

"Ah, nothing, Lincoln. It's not for me to say," Raph said hurriedly.

"Beth's not feeling too well. What's going on? She's not usually one to fall sick."

"It's a sewer, Linc. Anyone can get sick down here." Raph smiled, remembering all the times Leo – the least susceptible – had taken care of his brothers so Master Splinter didn't have to care for all three of them.

"She's pregnant, huh?" Lincoln asked, smiling secretively.

"No!" Raph said hurriedly.

"Oh, she's not? Then why is she running back and forth to the bathroom? And why was Donnie talking to her about children?"

"She wants to have kids, but Leo's unsure," Raph said, telling a half-truth. "Don's explaining what could go wrong and what could go right."

"She's pregnant, Raph," Lincoln stubbornly insisted. "I can tell. We had Sex Ed. this year." He pulled a face. "All together. God, I've never been so… grateful for my hearing impairment."

Raph almost asked what he meant but was interrupted by the door opening and Leo and Mikey entering. Lincoln immediately swung his wheelchair around to confront the father-to-be.

"Is Beth pregnant?" Lincoln demanded of Leo. Leo just stared at him before smiling.

"And if she is?" he smirked, hanging up his jacket and facing the teenager with contempt.

"Well, _duh_, I wanna know!"

"Fine then, yes, she is," Leo said amiably, crouching to bring his face closer, though not level. "And she's kinda sick right now. So please don't bother her."

"Can I tell Mom and Dad?"

"Let us," Leo advised wisely. "They'll want to hear it from the parents, I think."

"But-" Lincoln started.

"Lincoln, he or she is my son or daughter," Leo suddenly interrupted, his fist balling a little. "Do _not_ bring that up. You know she doesn't like to talk about it."

"Okay." Lincoln gulped slightly and Raph raised an eyebrow.

_Now what's he hiding?_ Raph sighed to himself. _Leo, bro, you can't hide secrets. It eats at you. Believe me; I know._ He looked at Mikey and snorted slightly in a questioning fashion. Mikey, for some reason, could always decipher sounds that most couldn't understand. If Raph snorted, Mikey could tell what he was thinking and about to do, and more importantly, know what to do about it.

"I don't know," Mikey said. Raph smiled. _Still got it, little bro._

Leo marched off towards his room, his face carefully neutral. But Mikey knew that their leader's face was only like that in the face of a big battle or pain. And it looked like both. Don was shooed out of Leo's room and the door shut quite abruptly.

"I think someone's grumpy," Mike observed, serving himself a glass of orange juice from the fridge. "Casey, April, and Angel are coming. Don, wanna come with me to Leatherhead's? I think Leo wants to spend some time with Beth. Anyone know what that was all about?"

"No," the two turtles answered. Raph glared at Lincoln, who just entered.

"I can't tell," he said softly. "It's not something _they_ want known too well."

"Um… Lincoln, I need to know for Beth's health," Don said with persuasion.

"No, Donatello," Lincoln said harshly, his eyes hardening. "Leave it alone. It's a sore subject already."

"Please? She's our sister, Lincoln, too," Mikey reminded him.

"No. I've already said too much. I'm going to go do some homework. Good night." He wheeled out towards his room, leaving the three turtles in greater puzzlement than when he came.

"So… Who wants to ask Fearless?" Raph asked with a grin.

"Not me!" Don and Mikey answered simultaneously.

"Well I'm not," Raph shot back. "Mikey, you're the one he's least likely to kill. You do it."

"Uh uh!" Mikey refused, standing and backing away as Raph pounded a fist on the table in frustration.

"Why doesn't he get it? We're here for him, just like he is for us." Raph stood up and started pacing. "He's so selfless it's almost selfish!"

"I'm gonna go to Leatherhead's," Mikey said quietly, casting a glance at Don who shook his head. "Be back in a while." He left alone, grabbing his glass and putting it in the sink on his way out with a sigh.

Raph rounded on Don, his eyes hard and angry. Don calmly put a hand on his shoulder and let Raph talk until he could no more. The red-banded turtle described how he would hurt Leo unless the leader let them in on the secret, and then got into some colorful curses about Stockman, Bishop, Shredder, and the humans that had decided they were animals and locked them up in the zoo and in Saki's mansion.

"Enough," Don finally crooned, pushing his hand down on Raph's shoulder. The hothead let a breath out and then smiled.

"Thanks," he said. "It helps."

"That's what I'm here for," Don said, smiling.

"You have no idea how much you do for me, Don," Raph whispered, in one of his rare "touchy-feely" moments. "It's easier to keep myself in check when you're around. You're so calm… It's incredible, Donnie. I just want you to know I love ya, bro, though I may never show it."

"I know it, Raph. And I love you, too."

"We sound like shelling gays!"

"That's not bad," Don scolded. "Homosexuals have equal rights, Raph."

"I know," Raph assured him hurriedly. "As a walking, talking turtle, I think that gay is perfectly alright. I just wish humans could be as open-minded."

"Yeah. Then Leo and Beth could really marry. Their kid could go to school. You could start a rock band. Mikey could open up a gaming store. I could work in labs all over the world. Leo could be a martial artist expert and start a school for children."

"Too bad the world ain't like that," Raph sighed. He and Don glanced at each other and then chuckled at the same time.

"Well, I'm turning in. I want some sleep for tomorrow. We've got setting up to do, things to get…"

"Yeah, same here," Raph agreed, yawning. "I'll just stay up and wait for Mikey to come home."

"Alright, if you're sure. He'll be fine. Anyway, see you in the morning. And if you see Leo, tell him goodnight for me."

"Okay." Raph crossed to the couch and turned on the TV, keeping the volume down quite a bit. He could hear Leo speaking softly to Beth, who sounded like she was hurting again. They were in Leo's room, but Raph knew that Beth would come out any second for another "bathroom relay-race".

When Mikey got in, he said Professor Honeycutt and Leatherhead were planning on coming. Raph nodded at the news and turned off the show he had been half-watching. He said goodnight and stopped by the bathroom to wish Leo and Beth a good night. The woman was in the bath again, soaking in hot water. Leonardo looked like he was ready for the birth to happen so Beth wouldn't have to go through so much pain.

"Ah, it'll come sooner than you think," Raph comforted him, clapping his elder brother on the shoulder. Leo nodded and disappeared into the bathroom again, murmuring to Beth gently.

Raph grinned at the obvious love in Leo's normally-even voice and crossed the hall to his bedroom. As he took off his gear, he thought.

If Beth's pains got worse, they'd put her in Splinter's room with Leo since Don had installed a bathroom there for their aged sensei. The new bathroom, in the new wing, was almost done.

Or, if that proved unwise because of one thing or another, Raph's room would serve. It was right across from the bathroom, instead of down the hall like Leo's. Or Beth could just move in and everyone else use the new bathroom or Splinter's old one.

Raph put his head down on his pillow in his hammock and fell asleep instantly.


	48. Encounters

As he slept, Raph dreamed

As he slept, Raph dreamed. At least, he thought he was dreaming.

_**My son, you are troubled,**_a familiar voice rang in Raph's mind. He shifted in his sleep. He couldn't see anything; only blackness enfolding him.

_Mother?_ His "voice" seemed weak and pale in comparison.

_**What troubles you, Raphael, turtle of the Vampires?**_

_My brother's going to be a father,_ Raph admitted, and as he did so, it seemed that the blackness lightened a little. He could just make out a shape opposite him._ I'm really scared. A little one is vulnerable. If Bishop or Stockman – or heaven forbid, Shredder! – gets their hands on him or her, they could end up killing the kid! And until we can teach him/her to defend themselves, they're just going to be under foot. Beth won't be able to do much either. Leo'll want to stay by her side._

_**Have you tried talking?**_

_Yeah, but I'm still scared and angry. Mother, why does birth have to be so hard?_ Raph knew he sounded like a little kid, but the warm chuckle Mother gave him seemed to make it okay that he was childish right now.

_**Birth is difficult because a life is so precious,**_she explained. _**Each Child is a gift to me, and a curse. A blessing and a blight.**_

Raph stepped forward, able to see well. Mother was standing across from him. They were in a cave that surrounded both of them. It had grey walls of unidentifiable stone. Mother gathered him up in her wings and the place turned upside down suddenly. He clung to her breast fur like a baby bat.

_Does it hurt you when one of the Children bites a human?_Raph asked innocently, nuzzling his beak into Mother's fur. It was warm and soft, and smelled wonderful to the bat-turtle.

_**Yes, my son, but it is good pain. The pain of life. The pain that tells me I will never be alone, and neither will my Offspring. Come, talk. I sensed your fear and knew you needed a friendly ear that is neither brother or rumble-and-tumble friend.**_Raph grinned and rubbed his beak against her collar bone gently.

_I think it's great that Leo's fallen in love and is gonna have a kid,_ he said slowly. _But I don't know if now was the best time for Beth to become pregnant. We're escaped "zoo animals". Leo was in grave danger because Bishop was able to reconstruct the remote and then control him through brain waves or something. The remote could kill him and bring him back to life. I worry about him._

_And Don's got such a huge responsibility. He's gotta make sure the defense systems are up, the entertainment center works for Mikey, the radio and music players work for me, the plumbing and hot water work for Beth and Leo, the kitchen has to work to feed us all. And on top of that, I talk to him. I mean, have lengthy conversations. About my fears. About his. I worry for him._

_And Mikey. Leo's so caught up with being a husband and father-to-be he's pretty much forgotten about his Kalian. Mikey's not showing it, but he's hurt. Leo is his idol. Mikey's worshipped him since Mike was too young to remember. And then when Mikey was chosen as Leo's Kalian, he was so happy. They really needed each other. They still do. _

_But Leo's ignoring all of us. It's hurting Mikey the most. But I'm kinda sad, too. He's the big brother, and right now, he's the head of the family. He should be paying attention to Mikey more, and lecture me about rash acts, and talk to Donnie about possibilities with his wings and metal shell and plastron. He's so glad to have Beth – and I can't blame him – and now they're going to be parents… He hardly practiced today, and he didn't make us practice. He's so out of it with the love for his fiancé that it's messing with _who he is._ I fear for him the most. What if he slips and becomes so devoted to Beth that he forgets how to protect himself and us? It's a lot to ask, for him to lay his life on the line time and again, but he needs to keep up his ninjistsu and meditation. _

_And me… I'm scared because of these changes. I'm scared that I'll wake up one day and find my fangs in Don or Mikey's throat. Or even worse, in one of the humans'. Can I get rid of this blood lust?_

It took a while for Mother to answer. When she did, Raph gaped at her.

_**I can take away your Vamprisity,**_ she offered. _**Or I can suppress the need. But it will build up until you have to suck blood from a living being. Some of my Children who have had this situation where they did not want it to be known about their vampire characteristics have always gone off for themselves every two months or so and drank the blood of a cow. It is close enough to human that it will fill your need.**_

_Thank you, Mother,_ Raph said enthusiastically. _Can you help me suppress this thrist?_

_Yes. Hold still and close your eyes, sweetling._

When Raph opened his eyes again, he was in his hammock. A voice echoed in his mind. _**Take care, my darling. Take care.**_

Raph sat up and breathed in carefully. He could still smell blood in the lair – left over from the numerous battle wounds that had bled on the walls and floors before it could be bandaged – but he felt no need to find a vein and suck the blood from a body.

He almost laughed out loud as he looked at his clock. It was just about time for practice. _Let's see if Fearless Leader leads us today,_ Raph thought to himself. He sprang out of bed, strangely happy, and opened his door. Don was just exiting his room as well, and both grinned at each other. Mikey joined them in the hall as they waited for Fearless.

When Leo did appear, he did so silently and from behind the group gathered outside his door.

"What have we here?" he asked in a bored tone. Mikey yelped and spun around, Don and Raph followed a second later.

"Uh… Time for training?" Raph suggested, smiling sheepishly.

"Shhh. Downstairs. Beth's asleep, finally." Leo palmed his face and then glared at a giggling Mikey. "Hey, I've been up with her all night. Give me a break. Let's go."

He herded them downstairs. Raph's step had a spring in it, and Don noticed but didn't comment. The vampire's Kalian decided that if it was his business Raph would tell him sooner or later.

They warmed up slowly. Leo was a little stiff as he led them through stretches and light exercises. Finally he sighed and dropped his arms.

"Raph, you lead," he ordered, stepping aside. "I'm half-asleep."

"Sure, Fearless," Raph laughed. He stepped forward and Leo took his place next to Don. Beside Donnie stood Mikey.

Raph stepped it up a little. Leo was able to keep up but the sleep deprivation showed. Raph partnered him with Donnie when the leader decided it was time to spar.

The practice went well; Mikey and Raph attacked each other like bowling balls, bouncing around the dojo. Don and Leo had a slower, evenly-matched spar that involved a lot of small corrections that were ultimately unimportant.

"We should do that more often," Don panted as Leo helped him to his feet. Mikey and Raph were still again, with Raph straddling the younger turtle's stomach and keeping him pinned.

"What, change leaders? I like that idea," Leo mused. "Alright. Raph, you led today, so you pick tomorrow's leader. I'm not going to be able to if this is a repeat of last night. We'll switch every day, so one of us will lead every four days. Got it?"

"Got it." Raph looked at Mikey and Donnie. "Donnie, you lead tomorrow. Mikey, you can lead the day after unless Leo feels up to it."

"Shut up," Leo snorted. "Let's see you stay up all night comforting a tired mother-to-be. It isn't as easy as you think."

"Leo, I'll give you some painkillers for Beth," Don offered.

"Thanks." Leo clasped his hands together in a prayerful way, a teasing gesture. "Now, let's get breakfast on. Mikey, Don, you have food duty. Raph, set the table please. I'll go get our guests."

"Sure, he gets the easy job," Raph grumbled as he and the younger brothers trooped to the kitchen. Leo smirked and walked towards Lincoln's room. He knocked gently.

"Hey, morning," he called softly, opening the door. Lincoln was just buttoning his shirt. Leo helped him tie off the sleeve missing an arm and then told him that breakfast would be ready soon. He then went on to Splinter's room.

"Hello?" he called softly. A muffled word answered him. "Breakfast in ten minutes." He didn't open the door but left the two adult humans to dress themselves and go to the kitchen.

With a deep breath, he headed for his room. Beth was awake, just barely, and stared at him lovingly as he came over.

"Hey, honey, it's time for breakfast. Do you want to join us?"

"Don't mention food, Leo," she scolded, sounding sick already. "Ugh. Go ahead and eat. I'm going to hop in another bath I think."

"Don's gonna give you some painkillers that should help."

"Great. Thank him for me. Now help a poor pregnant lady to the bathroom."

"Oh, please, you dramatic woman," Leo laughed, picking Beth up bridal style. "You know perfectly well you can get there on your own."

"But then you wouldn't be able to hold me," she teased, wrapping her slim arms around his neck. He walked her to the bathroom and deposited her gently on the toilet seat. She began to undress as he walked back out, closing the door softly.

"She's in the bathroom," he announced when he came to the kitchen. John and Mary looked up curiously. "She's too sick to eat for now."

"Why?" John asked suspiciously.

"Um… How to put this…" Leo thought for a moment before sighing and kneeling on one knee to bring his face level with John's. "Beth and I are going to be parents," he said simply.

"Uh… Okay… Since when it is something to keep from us?" Mary asked.

"She was pretty sick yesterday so I was taking care of her. And I asked Lincoln not to tell because I wanted to tell you. But, yes, she is pregnant, four weeks, about. She's kinda sick and in the bathtub right now."

"I'd like to speak with her." Mary stood up and walked smoothly towards the bathroom. Leo smiled in relief and stood up again, accepting a plate from Mikey.


	49. A Picture Worth a Thousand Words

"So, Leo, what were you and Lincoln talking about yesterday

"So, Leo, what were you and Lincoln talking about yesterday?" Mikey asked when the four were alone in the kitchen. John and Lincoln had gone to work on the teenager's homework and Mary was still with Beth.

"Nothing." Leo stood up and headed for the dojo. "I'm going to meditate. If Beth gets out, come get me, please. Thanks." He disappeared and closed the sliding door.

"Hmph. Nothing my foot!" Raph growled, punching a wall lightly. "Mikey, Don, wanna go scouting a bit in the sewers?"

"Sure! I need to check some of the cameras and trip wires. Maybe we can go to the junk yard and salvage some stuff."

"I'll get my skateboard!" Mikey zipped off to his room and returned as Don was finished with the dishes. Raph gathered his roller blades and Don got his bike and gadget bag.

"Let's _go_," Mikey whined, hand poised over the bolt on the main door. Raph nodded and strapped on his specially-made roller blades. Don hopped on his bike and Mikey opened the door. He ran a few steps and threw his skateboard down before jumping on lithely.

Don followed, pedaling quickly. Raph grumbled and shut the door on his way out of the lair. Then he skated after his younger brothers with a small sigh of happiness at being able to get out of the lair finally.

Don and Raph caught up to Mikey. With a burst of speed, the youngest jumped a pipe opening and landed on the other side, sliding to a stop. Raph sped up with Donnie and both cleared the jump as well.

"Oh, man, it's so good to do this again," Raph chuckled.

"Someone got out of bed on the right side today," Mikey teased.

"Yeah, well, it's a great day," Raph defended, humored by the youngest. "Race ya to the outskirts!"

"You're on- Hey!" Raph had already started. Mikey pushed off and followed quickly, shouting that Raph was cheating. Don chortled and followed after adjusting his bag again.

They all stopped at the first trip wire and camera. Don got off of his bike, which Raph held for him as he checked the camera's wires. Then he tested the trip line and pronounced them both good. Mikey jumped over the wire, followed by Donnie. Raph looked at the wall and shrugged. He skated over and jumped onto the ceiling, hanging on with his hands.

"You creep me out," Mikey accused, shuddering as Raph "walked" towards them on the ceiling. He took off his skates and threw them to Mikey.

"Here. Be useful and hold those. I can't grip with them on." Raph pulled his feet to the ceiling and let his hands fall away. He stood upside down, grinning like a fool. "Race ya now?"

"No way! You don't have to dodge stuff!" Mikey protested. Raph shrugged and started running. With a cry, Mikey pushed off with one foot and skated after him, Raph's rollerblades slung over his shoulder.

Casting a last glance at the camera, Don pedaled after his brothers.

Raph was running upside down through a narrow section of tunnel when Mikey caught up with him. In jest, the hothead reached down and smacked Mike's head gently. The youngest whined that he was being unfair.

When Donnie caught up, all three were near Leatherhead's place. They decided to stop by for a visit and because Mikey had to go.

"Hello?" Raph called, knocking on the door. Leatherhead appeared and ushered them in with a congratulations for their new sister.

"Hey, Professor!" Don hailed. "I have that program you wanted." He and the robot disappeared into Professor Honeycutt's office. Leatherhead chuckled and pointed when Mikey asked if he could use the bathroom. The young turtle ran off quickly.

"So, LH, what do you think of Leo and Beth getting married?" Raph asked, sitting down at the large crocodile's invitation.

"I think it is wonderful that Leonardo has chosen a mate, and I think they will do well together. Tell me, is she pregnant yet? Michelangelo was quiet enthusiastic and I heard him mutter about "Leo Juniors"," Leatherhead explained.

"Yeah, she is," Raph admitted. "Fourth week, and feeling kinda sick. Leo stayed up all night last night with her."

"Hm. Well, give them both my congratulations and well wishes. I shall at the party. Speaking of which, what could I bring?"

"We've got the food and stuff covered," Mikey announced as he rejoined them. "Thanks, LH."

"Well, I will bring a present for them, then." Leatherhead nodded to Mikey. "And what can we expect from the chef?"

"Goodies galore. You'll see when it's party time!"

"Which means he's still deciding," Raph interpreted deftly. They chatted for a few more minutes about possibilities of gifts. Raphael told the mutant scientist about his idea for a new lair, which Leatherhead liked quite a bit and proffered to help with. Professor Honeycutt overheard and offered his services as well.

When Don described the idea he had of installing a communications port that would basically be a three-way telephone with a view screen, so Leo could easily keep in touch if they did build a lair for him and Beth, Professor Honeycutt told the young scientist that the idea was well-planned.

By the time they were ready to leave, having spoke for about an hour and a half, it was about time for lunch. Leatherhead offered to feed them there, but Mikey said that Leo would be getting worried. They departed with promises to return to scope out a possible location near the turtles' lair for Leo.

When they arrived back home, Leo was waiting for them. He gave them an exasperated look as Mikey crashed into the couch because he was going too fast. His skateboard flew at Leo, who caught it in one wing. The roller blades went flying as well, hitting Don's bike and making the purple-banded turtle take a tumble on his bike. Only a few scrapes and bruises were formed, but Mikey got a lecture on keeping in control and was punished with dish duty after making lunch.

Leo put the skateboard, bike, and roller blades away for his brothers, who went to take showers. Don and Raph got the first two, with Raph in the new wing restroom that was now announced complete. Mikey grumbled and waited on the couch, watching a movie that held half of his attention.

"So, how's Beth?" Mikey asked when Leo sat carefully down next to him. The couch creaked, but held barely.

"She's better. Mom gave her some painkillers and talked to her a bit. Dad and I talked a little, too."

"About what being a father is like?" Mikey asked, cuddling into Leo's wings. Leo extended it over him, masking a yawn behind one hand.

"Yeah. And I think Mom was talking to Beth about raising a kid. She's got a lot of experience, more than anyone else here, at least."

"Well, duh!" Mikey giggled. "She's the only female in the house other than Beth."

"True. And the only mother. So, what did you guys do?"

"We skated for a while and then went to LH's place. He and Professor Honeycutt were happy to talk. We planned some stuff."

"Secret?"

"Yep."

"Alright." Leo was silent and watched the movie for a few minutes. Mikey looked up at his face; he was deep in thought. The youngest turtle squirmed a little, causing Leo to look down in amusement.

"Too hot?" he asked, opening his wing a little. The little turtle just smiled and pressed closer to his scales. "Tired?" Mike nodded and closed his eyes. "Alright, let's take a nap. I'm tired, too."

When Raph came in, he found the Kavara and Kalian sitting on the couch, the smaller turtle tucked lovingly into Leo's wing. Leo had a smile on his face, his left arm draped around Mikey's shoulders under his wing and his right wing and arm spread out over the sofa.

"Ah, Leo, it's good to see ya again, bro," Raph whispered. He shook his head in pleasure and wandered off to find Donnie. The brainiac was working hard at something in his lab, but looked up when Raph entered.

"Where's your camera?" Raph grunted, looking in a drawer filled with test tubes carefully aligned and placed in holders.

"Here." Don opened a drawer unerringly and threw him the digital. "What do you need it for?"

"Come with me and I'll show you."

"Okay." Don put down his stuff and followed Raph out into the living room. Beth was now there, too, and Leo's right arm was wrapped around her sleeping form next to him. Her head was tucked under his chin, and as they watched, his right wing shook itself out a little and closed over Beth as well, just leaving her head poking above the bones.

"That's cute," Don observed. "Well, take the picture."

Raph stood in front of the trio for a moment, backing up and moving side to side, trying to get all three without crowding them. He finally found a good spot and snapped the picture quietly. He did three more from other angles, just in case.

The duo went back into Donnie's lab, where the scientist-turtle plugged the camera in and they looked at the pictures.

"You should be a photographer," Don observed. "Nocturnal photography is a big industry. Lots of money to be made."

"Hm. I'll look into it. It'd be easy to shoot skylines of New York, or pictures in Central Park at night, but who'd accept pictures fro someone who doesn't show themselves?"

"Ah, someone will. Especially if you have good equipment and can get really good photos. I'll help you find some stuff. You've got talent, Raph. Look at these. Leo doesn't look like a deadly giant; he looks soft and cuddly. And Beth doesn't look like she's been captured. Neither does Mikey."

"I'll think about it."


	50. Thoughts

Raph did

**A/N: I put up a poll on my account. YOU get to pick Leo and Beth's kid's name and gender. I wanted reader input since I can't decide. Go check it out and vote! (Pick a gender and a name, doesn't matter which goes with what).**

Raph did. The next day, while he and Don were searching the junkyard for some spare parts to reinforce their new couch and chairs with, he quizzed Don a little more.

"So, what could I shoot in the Big Apple that anyone would like to see? We don't exactly have forest animals or owls or something like that."

"Well, you could become a photographer for a magazine interested in pictures of urban areas. Or take pictures of crimes for police before they show up," Don explained, rummaging through a pile of likely wood and metal scraps.

"Hm… Maybe I can do that," Raph mused, searching through another pile with a lot of metal nails. He was careful to keep his hands from puncturing on the metal because he didn't know if seeing his own blood might drive him to drink another's, or even his own.

Donnie yelped suddenly. Raph looked up to find the brainiac sucking on his thumb. "Cut my thumb," he mutters around the digit.

Raph slowly backs away. He can feel it, the urge to drive his fangs into Don's throat.

"Raph? You okay?" the purple-banded ninja asks, stepping forward. Raph retreated hurriedly.

"Careful, Don," he warned, trying to keep from baring his fangs. "I… I don't know if… If I can control myself." He finished in a whisper.

"What- Oh!" Don looked down and backed away as well. "Sorry. I'll just be over here."

"That's probably best."

_You moron!_ Raph berated himself. _He's hurt and you can't even bear to say "sorry". You softie! You could help him, if you weren't so weak._

"You're not weak, Raph," Don suddenly said. The hothead glanced up to find Don bandaging his finger. "It's something you can't control. We all know that. I've been carrying a tranquilizer and small bag of blood ever since the invasion, just in case. Leo and Mikey, too. We want to help you, Raph. You don't have to be ashamed about drinking blood. It's perfectly normal for a vampire."

"You… You have?" Raph was amazed at their foresight and attention to his obvious problem.

"Yeah. See?" Don reached into his belt and pulled out a small syringe and bag of red liquid. It sloshed enticingly and Raphael almost moved forward. Donnie put it away quickly, and Raph was surprised to feel sorrow.

_That's what Klunk must feel like when Mikey gives him a treat,_ Raph realized.

"I'm just scared I'll wake up one morning with my fangs bloody from one of you," Raph confessed, feeling safe to do so even though he normally never would. "You know?"

"No, I don't know, but I can sympathize. I'm always scared that I'll invent something so smart it learns to think for itself and destroys us all. Like in Mikey's comic books. Silly, huh?" Don grinned sheepishly and ducked his head.

"No, it's not," Raph admonished, putting a hand on Donnie's shoulder. He could feel the blood rushing through his brother's veins but felt repulsed. "I can imagine that happening. You're really freaking smart, Donnie. Humans haven't been able to, but then, you're smarter than Einstein himself!"

"Thanks."

Don turned back to his pile, as did Raph. They found some interesting stuff, but mostly they dug absently, thinking about what the other had said.

_I can imagine that happening, _Raph thought to himself. He shuddered slightly. _But what I fear most is that Don will become so happy tinkering with stuff, he'll forget how to interact with us. He'll upgrade himself, like that wonky dude, what was his name, in that monkey show, Super Robot Monkey Team Hyper Force Go!. God, I'm glad we're not something like the Super Mutant Turtle Clan Brother Hood Go!. Mikey would die learning I thought about that just now from laughter. I wouldn't be surprised if he comes up with something similar._

_Maybe we could just be called the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtle Brothers instead. Nah, I like TMNT, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles. It's too bad the humans can't understand how we're not animals. Don could really show them some stuff. He's been with Utroms, Professor Honeycutt, and he's really creative. He could beat the pants off of any scientist in any topic. Poor Donnie. He has to study so we don't have to. Maybe I can learn first aid from him and lighten his load after fights. That would be nice._

_And Mikey could open a tattoo parlor or music store. He's a really good tattoo artist, though he hardly admits it. But I've seen his stuff. He can't draw realistic things, but he's good at those fire dragon things. And he loves music. He could do a band except that he can't sing or play an instrument. _

_I could be a guitar player. I suck, but I can get better. And Mikey says I've got a really nice voice. Maybe I could start the "Turtle Band". Leo could do drums; he has the rhythm from years of katana practice, and he knows how to wield hands and feet in different ways. He has to, to be as good as he is. And Don's a good pianist. His fingers would fit better than any one else's, and they're nimble enough to. And Mikey's a good person to play something like the bass. He could learn it. I could sing, and Leo could be backup. He's got a good voice, too, but kind of high. It matches with mine, though, I think._

_Leo's got his own plans, though. He's going to be a father and a husband soon. And if we were ever accepted, he'd open a martial arts school in the United States, or be busy trying to peg Saki for all the robberies his Foot and Purple Dragons do. And Hun, too. I'd be willing to help with that! _

_Beth's gonna take a lot of his time, though. And who knows? Maybe we'll all find wives. Beth and April are two in two million, though. Who would want to be married to a green shell-back? Well, apparently Beth, but I doubt anyone else would. April's been marked by Casey, and who am I to interfere with that? Of course, we all know Donnie's got a crush on her. _Raph snickered to himself and peered at another piece of metal.

_Ah, Raph, you shouldn't be worried about drinking someone's blood,_ Don thought to himself. _I'm more worried about what you might do if you actually do. You could commit suicide, leave and never come back, or shut yourself up. I think the worst would be if you asked me to send you to sleep. I don't know if I could do that, even if you wanted me to. I couldn't kill you, Raph, and I sure as shell will do all I can to prevent such a thing. _

_I know Leo'll die instead of us, but I still want to protect you._

_Leo, you're an idiot! Why would do such a thing? At any moment, Beth could become a widow. Your child, fatherless. Us without a level-headed leader. Master Splinter without his favorite student. Raph without his sparring partner. Mikey without his Kavara. I without my guard, who keeps the others away when I need to work, tells them that what I do is as important to me as Mikey's comic books to him or Raph's punching bag to him. _

_Raph, you're an idiot, too. You worry about drinking someone's blood. So what? We don't care. Well, maybe we do, but we'll help you just as you help us. I've got loads of blood from each of us, stuff I'll probably never use. You could have it. We'd turn our backs and when you're sated, we'd just smile. It doesn't matter to us. Leo's never told anyone, but I've caught him plenty of times. His teeth are sharp, too, Raph, and he's got a hankering for living flesh. I found him eating a mouse once, in the sewers, after he transformed. He just chewed it up and gulped it down, and said he was sorry I had to see. But I'm not._

_It taught me a lot, bro. You need us. Leo asked me to keep it secret. He doesn't want the rest of you knowing he eats live animals, even as they die. I've seen him hunt, Raph. It's not pretty, but it's understandable. A dragon is a predator. He's half dragon. Even though a turtle is omnivorous, he's still got that instinct to hunt. He _needs_ to. He can help you, Raph, let you "blood" his kills before he eats them. You could suffer through together._

_And poor Mikey. Leo's been ignoring him lately. Beth's taken up so much of his time… But maybe the trio on the couch will be able to look at Raph's picture and realize that Leo has to find a balance. Surely Beth will understand. She's good at that. _

_I hope I find someone like her. April… She's nice, and I did have a crush on her, but I know Casey's spoken for her hand, at least in his mind, and I don't want to come between them. She deserves someone she can walk down the street with, hand in hand. It would be cruel to ask her to marry me. She'd have to pretend she loves me. I know she doesn't. She and Casey go together, even though they're total, polar opposites. But, opposites _do_ attract. That's stupid. _Don chuckled silently. _Gays and lesbians are of same sexes. So what? And many people fit because they're so much alike. Whoever said that – brain fart – must be crazy. _

_Man, look at the sun! It's time to head home for the party._

Don stood up and cleared his throat. Raph looked up at him and smiled.

"Time to head home," he announced.

"Yeah." With a small groan, Raph picked up his load and stood up as straight as he could. None in their family actually stood straight, but Leo got the closest with his splintered shell now. "Party time."

"Uh huh." Don removed the cover to the sewers and hopped down with his bundle of strong metal rods to reinforce the couch with. If Leo sat down on it much more, it would splinter to pieces.

In comfortable silence, the duo walked back to the lair. They passed Leatherhead and Professor Honeycutt, who were out scouting for a new lair for Leo and Beth. After exchanging hellos, each party went their separate ways.

Raph grinned to himself. _It's good to be alive, right now._

**A/N: That's a wrap, folks! Tune in soon for "Changed" Book 3: **_**The Monster Under the Bed, **_**featuring Mikey as he describes his role as Kalian to Leo… And, when a strange being comes to Earth, how Mikey has to convince his brothers that the alien means only good to them. That'll be hard, considering the alien wants Leo and Raph to join him on a quest in cyberspace that sounds pretty dangerous.**

**Thanks for all my lovely reviewers and reviews! It's finals week, so don't expect much. Thanks again! Sniffs You're all so wonderful.**


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